Zone 4a planting calendar

What to plant in July: zone 4a

A rule-of-thumb starting point for zone 4a: last spring frost around May 20, first fall frost around September 20. 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.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.
Typical last frost: May 20
Typical first frost: September 20
Winter lows: -30 to -25 °F
Zone 4a Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Succession sow

  • Bush bean2 sowings: Jul 1 and Jul 15

    Sowing 3: replant every 14 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Winter squasharound Jul 1

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Beetaround Jul 8

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Cucumberaround Jul 15

    Sowing 3: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Zucchiniaround Jul 15

    Sowing 3: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Basilaround Jul 15

    Sowing 3: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

Garden care

  • Side-dress heavy feeders4 sowings: Jul 1 and Jul 8 and Jul 15 and Jul 22

    Tomatoes, peppers, corn and squash get compost or fish emulsion once fruit sets. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

Start indoors for fall

  • Kalearound Jul 10

    Seedlings need 4 weeks before they go out for a fall harvest.

Direct sow for fall

  • Spinacharound Jul 11

    Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

  • Lettucearound Jul 11

    Succession sowing 2 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

  • Parsleyaround Jul 12

    Counts back 70 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

  • Cilantroaround Jul 16

    Succession sowing 2 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

  • Bush beanaround Jul 17

    Counts back 55 days from your first frost. Frost-tender: must finish before frost.

  • Peaaround Jul 22

    Counts back 60 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

  • Carrotaround Jul 23

    Counts back 70 days from your first frost. Frost-hardy: light freezes sweeten it.

  • Beetaround Jul 27

    Counts back 55 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

  • Dillaround Jul 27

    Counts back 45 days from your first frost. Frost-tender: must finish before frost.

Transplant for fall

  • Broccoliaround Jul 28

    Last safe transplant date to mature (65 days) before frost on 09-20.

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