Zone 6a planting calendar

What to plant in January: zone 6a

Zone 6a averages its last spring frost around April 30 and its first fall frost around October 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: April 30
First frost: October 10
Winter lows: -10 to -5 °F
Zone 6a Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Plan & order

  • Inventory and order seedaround Jan 8

    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 15

    Rotate families off last year's ground. Nightshades, brassicas and cucurbits each move to a new bed.

  • Soil testaround Jan 22

    A $20 test now tells you what to amend before planting instead of guessing all season.

Dormant care

  • Sharpen and oil toolsaround Jan 29

    Clean, sharpen and oil blades while there's time. Dull tools bruise plants and slow you down.

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