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Planting Calendar for Paducah, KY

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The planting calendar below tells you when to plant in the SPRING and also plant in the FALL, based on your zip code or postal code.

Spring Planting Calendar

Our spring planting calendar starts with the very first dates that you can plant (based on the last spring frost). But if you've missed these dates, no worries! This is why we've added "last planting dates" to our spring calendar; this is meant to help new gardeners understand that if they missed the first spring planting window, they could still get crops in the ground.

In fact, many crops with short maturity times (such as radishes) can be succession planted all the way through the summer in northern areas. However, note that some cool-season crops, such as kale and lettuce, do not grow well in hot temperatures, which can cause bolting issues.  For some gardeners, especially in the South, a break to avoid summer heat is needed, but they can start once the heat has passed. 

The dates provided are based on the number of weeks before or after frost, so we can provide a unique calendar to every user in the country. Thus, several crops (especially similar crops) may appear to have the same date. Kale and lettuce, for example, or dates for starting seeds, like broccoli and cabbage. 

Fall Planting Calendar

When we say "fall," we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It's easy to keep the crops going if you've already prepared the soil! 

Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don't need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost, but many are frost-tolerant and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!

See each plant's individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.

Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:

  1. Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
  2. Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
  3. Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
  4. Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the "start seeds" dates until this "last date." Don't wait any longer, or the crop won't have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.

The "Moon Dates" indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.

When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible. 

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Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on April 12 (at BROOKPORT DAM 52, IL climate station, elevation 331 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 15-22
Sep 25
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Mar 29-Apr 12
Apr 12
BasilFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
Frost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
Sep 11
BeetsN/AFrost Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 15-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Apr 26
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AJul 31
Bok ChoyFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
May 24
BroccoliFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 15-22
Aug 21
Brussels SproutsFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 15-22
Jul 17
CabbageFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 15-22
Apr 19
CantaloupesFrost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 19-26
Jul 17
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 15-28
Aug 14
CauliflowerFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 5-19
Moon Apr 5-12
N/AAug 7
CeleryFrost Jan 17-31
Moon Jan 29-31
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 12
Moon Apr 12
Aug 14
ChivesFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Aug 28
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
May 3
CollardsFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Aug 14
CucumbersFrost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Aug 14
DillN/AN/AFrost Apr 5-26
Moon Apr 5-12
Aug 28
Dry BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Jul 17
EggplantsFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AAug 14
Fava BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
FennelFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Aug 7
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 19-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
Aug 14
Honeydew MelonsFrost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Jul 24
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/A
KaleFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
KohlrabiFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
LeeksFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
N/AJul 10
LettuceFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
MicrogreensN/AN/AN/A
Mustard GreensN/AN/AN/A
OkraFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
Aug 14
OnionsN/AFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 15-28
N/AJul 17
OreganoFrost Jan 31-Feb 28
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12, Feb 27-28
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AAug 14
ParsleyFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Mar 15-Apr 19
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Aug 7
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Jul 17
PeanutsN/AN/AFrost May 3-17
Moon May 13-17
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 15-28
Aug 14
PumpkinsFrost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Jul 10
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Aug 28
RosemaryFrost Jan 17-31
Moon Jan 29-31
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AAug 28
SageFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AAug 7
SalsifyN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 15-28
Jul 17
SpinachFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Mar 15-22
Apr 26
Sweet CornN/AN/AFrost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
Aug 7
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 26
Jul 10
Swiss ChardFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Frost Mar 22-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Apr 26
ThymeFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Jan 31-Feb 12
Frost Apr 19-26
N/AJul 31
TomatillosFrost Feb 28-Mar 15
Moon Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 27-May 10
N/AAug 7
TomatoesFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 27-28
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AJul 24
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 15-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Sep 25
WatermelonsFrost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 19-26
Jul 24
Winter SquashFrost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Jul 3
Zucchini (Summer Squash)Frost Mar 22-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 26-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Aug 21

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on October 23 (at BROOKPORT DAM 52, IL climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 4-Oct 9
Moon Sep 4-7, Sep 21-Oct 6
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Jul 31-Aug 28
Moon Aug 10-22
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Aug 14-Sep 4
Moon Aug 23-Sep 4
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Jul 24-31
Moon Jul 24-31
Frost Aug 14-28
Moon Aug 23-28
60Frost-tolerant
Brussels SproutsFrost Jul 3-17
Moon Jul 3-10
N/A100Frost-hardy
CabbageFrost Jul 24-31
Moon Jul 24-31
Frost Aug 14-21
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 7-14
Moon Aug 10-14
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Jul 17-24
Moon Jul 24
Frost Jul 31-Aug 7
Moon Jul 31-Aug 7
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Jul 31-Aug 28
Moon Jul 31-Aug 9, Aug 23-28
N/A70Frost-tolerant
FennelFrost Jul 24-Aug 7
Moon Jul 24-Aug 7
N/A80Tender
GarlicFrost Nov 5-19
Moon Nov 6-19
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 7-21
Moon Aug 7-9
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Aug 14-28
Moon Aug 23-28
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Aug 21-Sep 11
Moon Aug 23-Sep 7
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Aug 14-28
Moon Aug 23-28
N/A60Frost-tolerant
Mustard GreensFrost Aug 21-Sep 11
Moon Aug 23-Sep 7
N/A45Tender
PeasFrost Aug 14-28
Moon Aug 23-28
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Sep 11-25
Moon Sep 11-20
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 4-25
Moon Sep 4-7, Sep 21-25
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Aug 14-28
Moon Aug 23-28
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Aug 21-Sep 4
Moon Aug 21-22
N/A50Frost-tolerant
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