Zone 1a planting calendar

What to plant in April: zone 1a

Zone 1a averages its last spring frost around June 20 and its first fall frost around August 10. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.

Last frost: June 20

First frost: August 10

Winter lows: -60 to -55 °F

Zone 1a Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Dormant care

Prune dormant fruit treesaround Apr 4
Prune apples, pears and peaches while fully dormant. Open the center, remove crossing wood.
Check season-extension geararound Apr 25
Patch row cover, cold frames and hoops now so a late freeze can't catch you unprepared.

Start indoors

Start onions and leeks indoorsaround Apr 11
Alliums need 10-12 weeks under lights before they go out. The earliest sowing of the year.

Plan & order

Order fall seedaround Apr 12
Fall brassicas and greens get sown in the heat of summer. Have the seed on hand before that window opens.

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