Zone 5b planting calendar
What to plant in January — zone 5b
Zone 5b averages its last spring frost around May 5 and its first fall frost around October 5. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Last frost: May 5
First frost: October 5
Winter lows: -15 to -10 °F
Plan & order
- Inventory and order seedaround Jan 13
Sort what you already have, toss anything over 3 years old, and order early while varieties are in stock.
- Map this year's bedsaround Jan 20
Rotate families off last year's ground — nightshades, brassicas and cucurbits each move to a new bed.
- Soil testaround Jan 27
A $20 test now tells you what to amend before planting instead of guessing all season.
Turn this into your own calendar
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