What to plant in July: zone 1a
A rule-of-thumb starting point for zone 1a: last spring frost around June 20, first fall frost around August 10. Zones are set by winter lows, not frost dates, so two gardens in the same zone can be weeks apart. Measure your ZIP below for dates from your area's own 30-year record.
Garden care
- Mulch every bed2 sowings: Jul 11 and Jul 18
3-4 in of straw or leaves now holds water, blocks weeds, and cools roots for the whole summer. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.
Sow cover crop
- Cover crop (cereal rye + crimson clover)around Jul 11
Sown a month before frost it germinates, holds your soil all winter, and feeds it in spring.
Plant to overwinter
- Garlicaround Jul 27
Cloves go in about two weeks before first frost. They root now, sleep, then bulb next summer.
Turn this into your own calendar
Want this calendar emailed to you?
Get the full 12-month version for your ZIP area. Every sowing, transplant, and harvest window, with reminders you can add to your calendar.