Zone 5 Planting Guide: Your Month-by-Month Gardening Calendar

Understanding your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone is crucial for successful gardening. Zone 5, characterized by minimum average temperatures of -20° to -10° Fahrenheit, presents unique opportunities and challenges for gardeners. This comprehensive guide provides a month-by-month breakdown of gardening tasks tailored for Zone 5, ensuring you maximize your growing season and cultivate a thriving garden. By combining this guide with your personal experience, local insights, and annual garden journaling, you’ll develop an effective and personalized gardening calendar for years to come.

January: Winter Garden Prep and Planning

January in Zone 5 is all about winter maintenance and preparing for the vibrant growing season ahead. While the garden may be dormant, your proactive steps now will lay the foundation for a bountiful harvest.

Protect Trees and Shrubs: Monitor trees and shrubs for snow and ice accumulation. Gently brush off heavy snow or ice from branches to prevent breakage, especially after storms. Use tree wrap on the trunks of young trees and species with thin bark, such as linden, ash, mountain ash, and maple, to protect against sunscald and rodent damage.
Indoor Houseplant Care: Winter can be dry indoors, affecting your houseplants. Give them a thorough cleaning to remove dust that accumulates on leaves, hindering photosynthesis and gas exchange. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth or sponge using water mixed with a mild, scent-free soap solution.
Garden Planning and Design: January is an ideal time for garden planning. Reflect on last year’s successes and challenges. Plan your crop rotation to improve soil health and reduce pest and disease buildup. Begin building or repairing garden structures like cold frames, trellises, and consider setting up indoor grow lights for seed starting.
Seed Starting Preparations: For perennials requiring cold stratification, start the process now. This can be done by planting seeds outdoors in protected areas or by simulating winter conditions in your refrigerator.
Review and Order Seeds: Analyze your garden records from the previous year, noting successful plant varieties and those that underperformed. Based on your review, create your seed list and order seed catalogs from reputable companies, considering heirloom and open-pollinated varieties for diversity and resilience. Pre-order bulbs and live plants to ensure availability when planting season arrives.
Pest and Disease Inspection: Carefully inspect houseplants for any signs of insect infestations. Quarantine any new holiday gift plants to prevent pests from spreading to your existing collection.
Garden Journaling: Start or update your garden journal. Record successful and unsuccessful plant varieties, planting dates, harvest dates, and any pest or disease issues encountered. This journal will be an invaluable resource for future garden planning.
Tool Maintenance: January is a good time to clean and organize your garden tools, ensuring they are ready for spring.

February: Approaching Spring – Seed Starting and Tool Prep

February signals the approaching spring and the height of seed starting season in Zone 5. Preparations now will give you a head start on the growing season.

Tool Care and Sharpening: Give your garden tools a thorough cleaning and sharpening. Sharp tools make gardening tasks easier and more efficient.
Final Seed Orders: If you haven’t already, finalize and place your seed orders to ensure you receive your desired varieties, especially if you are looking for specific or popular types. Consider trying at least one new vegetable variety each year to expand your gardening experience.
Resist Early Gardening: Despite warmer days, resist the temptation to start gardening outdoors too early. Unseasonably warm spells can be followed by damaging frosts and freezes, which can harm prematurely unpacked perennials.
Seed Starting Station Setup: Gather and organize all your seed starting equipment. This includes grow lights, heat mats, sterile seed starting mix, and your chosen seed trays or pots. Ensure your grow lights are functioning and heat mats are ready to provide consistent warmth.
Cold Frame Construction: If you don’t have carpentry skills, consider building a simple and effective cold frame using straw bales. Cold frames extend the growing season and protect early seedlings.
Landscape Planning for Wildlife: When planning landscape additions, choose trees and shrubs that provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects. Crabapple and hawthorn trees are excellent choices, attracting birds and potentially diverting them from cultivated fruits.
Early Seed Starting Indoors: Start seeds indoors for vegetables with long growing seasons, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, head lettuce, onions, and parsley. Begin starting most perennial flowers indoors by the end of February. Also, initiate seeds for herbs and flowers with long germination periods, like rosemary, snapdragons, and begonias.
Starting Warm-Season Vegetables: Begin starting seeds indoors for warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Starting these plants early indoors is crucial in Zone 5’s shorter growing season to ensure a longer and more productive harvest. Remember to pot them up as they grow to provide adequate space for root development.

March: Pre-Season Tasks and Direct Sowing

March in Zone 5 is a transitional month, with lengthening days and increasing garden activity. It’s a crucial time to complete pre-season tasks and begin direct sowing certain hardy seeds.

Pruning Fruit Trees and Ornamentals: If you haven’t already, prune fruit trees, berry bushes, and woody ornamentals while they are still dormant, before new spring growth emerges. Pruning at this time encourages healthy growth and fruit production.
Direct Sowing Cold-Hardy Annuals: Direct sow seeds of cold-hardy annuals like Nigella, Poppy, and Delphinium outdoors. These seeds benefit from exposure to cold temperatures, which aids in germination.
Houseplant Revival: The longer days of March stimulate houseplant growth. Repot any houseplants that have outgrown their containers and begin fertilizing them to support new growth.
Continue Indoor Seed Starting: If you haven’t already, start seeds indoors for eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes early in March to ensure they have a long enough growing season.
Tool Servicing: Beat the spring rush by taking your lawnmower and other mechanized garden tools for servicing now. Ensuring your equipment is in good working order saves time and frustration later.
Compost and Soil Preparation: Turn your compost pile on warmer days to aerate it and speed up decomposition. Resist working garden soil if it’s still too wet and cold, as this can lead to soil compaction.
Garden Bed Cleanup: Clean up any remaining dried plant debris from garden beds and add it to your compost pile, unless it is diseased.
Garden Journaling and Planning: Purchase a dedicated notebook to use as your garden journal. Detail your garden plans, including what you intend to plant, seed sources, variety names, planting dates, and expected harvest dates. Use this journal to note plant performance and any pest or disease issues throughout the growing season.
Birdhouse Placement: Place birdhouses built during the winter outdoors this month. Birds will soon be seeking nesting sites.

April: Go Time – Planting and Seed Starting Intensifies

April is when gardening activities truly ramp up in Zone 5. With warmer temperatures and longer days, it’s “go time” for seed starting and planting.

(Content for April and May needs to be expanded based on the original article and general Zone 5 gardening advice. I will follow the pattern and detail level of the previous months.)

May: Last Frost and Outdoor Planting

May is a pivotal month for Zone 5 gardeners as it typically marks the average last frost date. After this date, it’s generally safe to transplant tender seedlings outdoors. However, always monitor local weather forecasts for unexpected late frosts.

Rainfall Monitoring: Install a rain gauge near your garden to track rainfall. Gardens in Zone 5 generally require about one inch of rain per week from April/May through September. Supplement with watering as needed.
Landscape Project Implementation: Implement new landscaping plans. Avoid overplanting and consider the mature size of plants when spacing them.
Indoor Seed Starting for Warm-Season Crops: Continue starting seeds indoors for heat-loving vegetables like okra, squash, cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. Sow vining crops in peat pots to minimize root disturbance during transplanting.
Direct Sowing Hardy Vegetables Outdoors: Direct sow seeds outdoors for root vegetables and leafy greens like beets, carrots, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, late cabbage, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collards, turnips, radish, spinach, bunching onions, and peas.
Potato Care: Continue “hilling up” potatoes as the plants grow to encourage tuber development.
Tomato Trellis Setup: Install trellises or stakes for your tomato plants before they begin to sprawl. Early support prevents damage and makes harvesting easier.
Planting Trees and Shrubs: Plant new trees and shrubs in May, taking advantage of the milder weather and spring rains.
Hardening Off Seedlings: Begin hardening off frost-tender seedlings (vegetables, herbs, annual and perennial flowers) that were started indoors. Gradually acclimate them to outdoor conditions over a week or two.
Fertilizing Perennial Flowers: Fertilize perennial flowers as new growth begins. Most perennials only need fertilizing every few years, and spring is the ideal time.
Direct Sowing Warm-Season Vegetables Outdoors (Weather Permitting): If the weather forecast is favorable, direct sow seeds outdoors for beans, okra, squash, sweet corn, and watermelon. Plant beans and corn in succession, sowing partial rows every week or two for a continuous harvest. Plant sweet corn in blocks for better pollination.
Outdoor Relocation of Houseplants: By the end of May, it should be safe to move most houseplants outdoors to a shady location for their summer “vacation.”
Cutworm Protection: Protect newly transplanted vegetable seedlings from cutworms by using collars. Make collars from strips of cardboard, forming circles around the plant stems and pressing them slightly into the soil.

June: Pest Management and Warm Weather Crops

June in Zone 5 brings the full swing of the growing season, but also the arrival of garden pests. Early detection and management are key to protecting your crops.

Nasturtium Planting: In sunny locations with poor soil, plant nasturtiums for vibrant color. They thrive in warm soil and bloom in about 50 days. Avoid overwatering and over-fertilizing, which can lead to excessive foliage and fewer flowers.
Brassica Crop Protection: Protect Brassica crops (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) with floating row covers to prevent damage from cabbage moths and flea beetles, especially if these pests have been a problem in previous years.
Colorado Potato Beetle Control: Monitor potato plants for Colorado potato beetles (adults, eggs, and larvae). Hand-pick beetles, eggs, and larvae or use organic insecticides if infestation is heavy.
Cucumber Beetle Monitoring: Watch for striped and spotted cucumber beetles, which can transmit bacterial wilt to squashes and melons. Hand-pick adults and eggs throughout the season.
Mexican Bean Beetle Prevention: Monitor bean plants for Mexican bean beetles. Use floating row covers as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent infestation.
Aphid Management: Aphids can appear on various plants in warm weather. Check for them on new foliage. Spray leaves with a strong jet of water to dislodge aphids. Insecticidal soap can provide good control, requiring repeat applications to kill newly hatched eggs.
Squash Vine Borer Prevention: Monitor squash vines for squash vine borer moths. They lay eggs at the base of squash vines. Examine stems daily and remove eggs by hand. Wrap the lower stems with aluminum foil or row covers to deter egg-laying.
Softwood Cuttings for Shrubs: Mid-to-late June is ideal for taking softwood cuttings of shrubs like spirea, lilac, and viburnum to propagate new plants.
Garden Hygiene: Avoid working in the garden when plant leaves are wet to prevent the spread of diseases.
Watering Practices: Water vegetable gardens thoroughly once a week rather than light daily watering to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
Spring Crop Monitoring and Succession Planting: Monitor spring crops like lettuce for bolting in hot weather. Plant warm-season crops as soon as spring vegetables are harvested to maximize garden productivity.
Blossom End Rot Prevention: Prevent blossom end rot on tomatoes, peppers, squash, and watermelons by maintaining consistent soil moisture through mulching and proper watering, ensuring well-drained soil, and avoiding deep cultivation near plants. Bone meal can help correct calcium deficiency contributing to blossom end rot. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
Continue Warm-Season Vegetable Planting: Continue direct seeding warm-season vegetables like beans, summer squash, and cucumbers.

July: Harvest Time and Continued Planting

July is harvest month in Zone 5, and it’s also crucial to stay on top of succession planting and maintain garden health.

Fall Crop Seed Starting: Start seeds indoors for heading cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) for your fall garden. Direct sow radishes, carrots, beets, turnips, and kale in late July through August for fall harvests.
Tomato Disease Monitoring: Watch tomato plant leaves for signs of leaf spot diseases and take action if necessary (ensure good air circulation, prune lower leaves, consider organic fungicides).
Continued Pest Monitoring: Continue monitoring and managing pests as outlined in the June tasks.
Deadheading Flowers: Deadhead spent flowers on annuals and perennials to encourage continued blooming and direct plant energy into flower production rather than seed development.
Fertilizing Annual Flowers: Fertilize flowering annuals with a balanced fertilizer once flowering begins and again later in the season to support abundant blooms.
Succession Planting: Continue succession planting fast-growing crops like beets, bush beans, carrots, Swiss chard, cucumbers, and summer squash. Cover newly sown seeds with pre-moistened potting mix and a thin layer of mulch or row cover to retain moisture.
Iris Division: Divide and transplant bearded iris after they finish blooming, using the vigorous ends of the rhizomes and discarding the old center portions. Cut leaves back to about six inches.
Mosquito Control: Eliminate standing water sources to control mosquitoes. Consider installing bat houses to attract natural mosquito predators.
Watering Needs: Ensure your garden receives about one inch of water per week, through rain or irrigation. Water in the early morning to allow foliage to dry before evening, reducing fungal disease risk. Mulch plants to conserve moisture.
Container Plant Care: Check soil moisture in container-grown vegetables and flowers daily, as they may dry out quickly in summer heat, potentially needing water twice a day.
Herb Pruning: Pinch flowers off herbs like basil, mint, and oregano to encourage bushy growth and maximize leaf production.
Onion and Garlic Harvest: Harvest onions and garlic as the tops dry and fall over. Cure them properly for long-term storage.

August: Mid-Season Maintenance and Fall Crop Planning

August in Zone 5 is about maintaining garden momentum, managing late-season pests, and planning for fall crops and bulb planting.

Fall Pea Planting: Sow peas in mid-to-late August for a fall harvest.
Continued Pest and Disease Management: Continue regular pest and disease inspections and take appropriate action.
Raspberry Pruning: After the last raspberry harvest, prune out old fruiting canes to promote healthy new growth for next year. Leave only a few young canes per foot of row.
Avoid Late Summer Pruning of Trees and Shrubs: Avoid pruning trees and shrubs in late summer, as it can stimulate new growth that won’t harden off before winter.
Spring Bulb Ordering and Planting: Order and begin planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year’s early spring display. Plan for a succession of blooms by selecting bulbs with different flowering times.
Late Season Greens Planting: Sow seeds for late crops of leaf lettuce, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach for fall harvests.
Continued Deadheading: Continue deadheading flowers to prolong blooming.
Perennial Dormancy Awareness: Some perennial flowers and bulbs may begin to go dormant in August. Mark their locations to avoid accidentally disturbing them during fall garden cleanup or spring planting.
Hanging Basket and Container Care: Check moisture levels in hanging baskets and containers daily, as they can dry out quickly in late summer heat.
Summer Squash and Zucchini Harvesting: Harvest summer squash and zucchini frequently (every day or two) to encourage continuous production.
Remove Spent Plants: Remove plants that have finished producing to eliminate potential pest and disease havens.
Weed Control: Control weeds before they go to seed to reduce weed problems next year.
Cover Crop Sowing: If using a fall cover crop, sow seeds in mid-to-late August to improve soil health over the winter.

September: Fall Preparations and Storage Crop Harvest

September in Zone 5 transitions the garden towards fall. Focus shifts to harvesting storage crops, preparing beds for winter, and bringing houseplants indoors.

Fall Greens and Radish Planting: Leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach, and radishes can still be planted in early September for a fall harvest.
Pest Monitoring: Continue inspecting for pests, especially bean beetles, which may have a second peak in activity this time of year.
Houseplant Transition Indoors: Bring houseplants that have been outdoors for the summer back inside before temperatures drop too low. Hose them down thoroughly to remove any insects before bringing them indoors. Inspect them regularly for pests after bringing them inside.
Mulch Procurement: Make preparations for mulching garden beds for winter. Consider purchasing bulk mulch for cost-effectiveness.
Perennial Dividing and Transplanting: Divide and transplant fibrous-rooted perennials that bloom in the spring. Fall is the ideal time for this task. Cut back foliage and prepare new planting sites with organic matter.
Harvesting Storage Crops: Harvest pumpkins, summer squashes, and gourds for storage before the first frost. Handle pumpkins carefully to avoid bruising, which can shorten storage life.
Cool Season Vegetable Harvest: Continue harvesting cool-season vegetables like radishes, lettuce, cabbage, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, and other cole crops. Some, like parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and kale, taste even better after a frost.
Avoid Late Season Fertilizing: Allow plants to naturally slow down as fall approaches. Avoid fertilizing or excessive pruning, which can encourage new growth that is vulnerable to frost damage.
Soil Improvement: Fall is an excellent time to improve garden soil. Add manure, compost, and leaves to increase organic matter content. Wood ashes can be used as a soil amendment to add phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
Strawberry Bed Weeding: Keep strawberry beds weed-free in the fall to reduce weeding next spring.

October: Bulb Planting and Final Harvests

October in Zone 5 marks the final stages of the gardening season. Focus on planting garlic and spring bulbs, harvesting remaining crops, and winterizing the garden.

Garlic and Bulb Planting: Plant garlic, shallots, walking onions, potato onions, and spring-flowering bulbs.
Winterizing Water Features: Drain hoses and empty bird baths before hard frosts to prevent damage.
Protecting Potted Perennials: Bury potted perennials in the garden or insulate them with straw to protect them over the winter.
Soil Testing: Collect soil samples for testing to plan for next year’s fertilization needs for lawns, vegetable gardens, and flower beds.
Dividing Perennials: Dig and divide spring and summer-flowering perennials now.
Final Harvests: Monitor weather forecasts and harvest any remaining warm-season crops like beans, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes before a hard frost.
Herb Harvesting and Preservation: Harvest and dry or freeze any remaining herbs for winter use.
Asparagus Care: Cut back asparagus tops after they have yellowed and died back for the season. Mulch after the ground freezes.
Seed Saving: Save seeds from favorite open-pollinated flowers like marigolds. Dry seeds thoroughly before storing them in a cool, dry, dark place.
Garden Record Review: Review your garden journal and note successful and unsuccessful vegetable varieties to inform next year’s garden plan.
Leaving Seed Heads for Birds: Leave seed heads on asters, sunflowers, and cosmos for birds to feed on during the winter.

November: Season Extension and Garden Cleanup

November in Zone 5 often brings the first significant frosts and snow. Explore season extension techniques and complete fall cleanup tasks.

Spring Bulb Planting (Final Chance): If you haven’t already, plant spring-flowering bulbs now.
Container Storage: Empty, clean, and store planters in a dry place for the winter.
Rain Barrel Winterizing: Empty and turn over rain barrels to prevent freezing damage. Disconnect downspouts to direct water away from foundations during winter.
Cole Crop Harvesting: Harvest cole crops like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collards, and kale as needed. Frost enhances their flavor. Use low tunnels or cold frames to extend their harvest season.
Protecting Root Crops in Ground: Leave hardy root crops like carrots, beets, leeks, rutabagas, turnips, winter radishes, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and leaf lettuce in the garden and mulch them heavily with straw for extended harvest.
Soil Amendment: Spread manure, sawdust, straw, or shredded leaves over garden beds and till them in to improve soil structure and fertility.
Houseplant Pest Monitoring: Continue to monitor houseplants for pests brought indoors.
Mulching Garden Beds: Apply a thick layer of mulch (2-4 inches) to garden beds after the soil has frozen to protect plants and soil over winter.
Equipment Winterizing: Oil and store gas-powered equipment like lawnmowers and leaf blowers. Schedule tune-ups and blade sharpening during the off-season.
Seed Catalog Ordering: Order seed catalogs for garden planning in January. Explore companies specializing in heirloom and open-pollinated varieties.

December: Winter Rest and Garden Reflection

December in Zone 5 is a time for winter dormancy, garden reflection, and planning for the next growing season.

Holiday Gifts for Gardeners: Consider gifting memberships to botanical gardens, arboretums, or nature centers as thoughtful holiday presents.
Tree Protection: Protect young tree trunks from winter damage and rodents by wrapping them. Use chicken wire or hardware cloth around multi-stemmed shrubs and low-branching trees to protect them from rabbits.
Tool Maintenance: Clean garden tools with a wire brush, oil them to prevent rust, and sharpen edges. Clean and maintain pruning tools. Paint tool handles a bright color for visibility.
Equipment Fuel Drainage: Drain fuel from lawnmowers and tillers before storing them for winter.
Mulching Planting Beds: If you haven’t already, apply a thick layer of mulch around perennials and in planting beds.
Protecting Root Crops: A thick straw mulch over root crops left in the ground will allow for harvesting well into winter.
De-icing Salt Alternatives: Avoid using rock salt (sodium chloride) for de-icing, which can harm plants. Use calcium chloride or potassium chloride products, or use sand, kitty litter, or wood ashes for traction instead.
Garden Journal Review and Planning: Review and expand your garden journal notes to refine plans for next year’s garden. Reflect on successes, failures, and new ideas for the upcoming growing season.

This article was updated on 2/13/24.

	*Article Written by: Angie Lavezzo*
About the Author: Angie Lavezzo is the former general manager of Sow True Seed. Beyond her professional role at Sow True, Angie’s passion for gardening extends into personal hands-on experience, fostering plants and reaping bountiful harvests.