Hardiness Zones – Planting Months
This planting calendar schedule will take you through each month of the year, for zone 5.
For those of you in the UK and Europe, this guide can be applied. If you are on a different continent, the conditions will vary, as it can be a tropical or dry heat.
Planting zones are areas of hardiness. A planting guide, that enables us to know when to plant vegetables, fruit, and flowers. Each area within a zone has similar growing conditions, this standardization gives us a good guide to what we can grow and when to grow.
US Zones + Temperatures
UK Hardiness Zones
Essential Gardening Equipment
Soil pH Testing
You need to make sure that you accurately test your soil to give your plants the best chance.
We use and recommend this 4 in 1 hygrometer to measure soil moisture, pH levels, nutrients, and light conditions at the same time.
Seeds
Here’s a list of more than 200 seeds that are customer favorites for Zone 5.
Germination
The best way to germinate your seeds so that they have a great start is with a germination kit. Seeds that are grown this way produce greater results.
Spade
A trusted spade is a gardener’s best friend, it helps you do the work. A long-handled spade is the most effective type.
Gardening Tool Set
For the finer work in the garden, we need those handy tools to help us cultivate. One that you can carry around in the garden is best.
Greenhouse
Every advanced gardener has a greenhouse and with so many benefits how can we do without. The acceleration and growth rate when using a greenhouse is worth the cost.
Dehydrating
One of the issues people have is that their crops produce all at once. The best way to overcome this is with a dehydrator so you can store your food for years and the flavor is amazing.
January Planting Zone 5
Temperature: -20 to -10 F (-23 to -28 Celsius)
Indoors: Microgreens, such as; arugula, spinach, watercress, lettuce, broccoli sprouts, bean sprouts, etc.
February Planting Zone 5
Temperature: -20 to -10 F (-23 to -28 Celsius)
For both January and February, zone 5 is a quiet month. These are cold months where little can be done in the garden.
The same indoor preparations are continued from January.
March Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 26 to 42 F (-3 to 6 Celsius)
Indoors: Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers
Seeding: Lettuce, carrots, parsley, radishes, peas, and potatoes
Keep in mind, that most of the plants need to be sown indoors, at least 6-8 weeks before being transplanted outdoors.
April Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 45 to 61 F (7 to 16 Celsius)
Seeding: Spinach, radishes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and potatoes. Transplant cabbage, tomato, eggplant, and pepper seedlings outside. If there is any chance of frost, protect them with farmer’s fabric.
May Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 44 to 71 F (7 to 21 Celsius)
Seeding: Beets, beans, cabbage, carrots, chard, lettuce, onion, potato, turnips, and radishes. At the end of May, you can transplant melons, tomatoes, peppers, and squash outside.
Flowers: Summer bulbs, asters. Plant new roses (prune old roses).
Harvesting: Peas, spinach, lettuce, asparagus, and radishes.
Pruning: Viburnums, forsythia, and other shrubs that bloom in spring.
Now it’s time to plant or transplant shrubs and trees before the summer heat comes.
June Planting Zone 5
Temperatures: 57 to 75 F (14 to 24 Celsius)
Seeding: Chard, kale, summer lettuce. Carrots, beets, radishes, and parsnips can be re-sown.
Harvesting: Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and turnips.
July Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 69 to 84 F (20 to 29 Celsius)
Seeding: Beans, cucumbers, basil, Chinese cabbage, turnips, and radishes. Late in the month, you can reseed beets, corn, and Brussels sprouts.
Harvesting: Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, runner beans, and zucchini.
Make sure you regularly water to prevent drought, add mulch and straw to help retain water.
August Planting Zone 5
Start your fall garden
Zone 5
Temperature: 61 to 78 F (16 to 26 Celsius)
Seeding: Beets, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips, and squash.
Harvesting: Tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, artichokes, eggplants, and plums.
September Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 53 to 75 F (12 to 24 Celsius)
Seeding: Beets, beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, corn, lettuce, onion, kale, peas, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and Brussel sprouts (it’s best to have seedlings for some of these veggies ready, such as broccoli, cabbage, etc.).
Harvesting: Onion, peppers, tomatoes, beans, raspberries, zucchini, and potatoes.
October Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 42 to 60 F (5 to 15 Celsius)
Indoor: Basil, chives, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
Seeding: Asters, Dianthus, Celosia, garlic, grass, blueberries, flower bulbs, and winter lettuce.
November Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 33 to 54 F (1 to 12 Celsius)
Seeding: Garlic, flower bulbs, winter lettuce, and asters.
Harvesting: Harvest all the remaining root veggies.
Pruning: Any perennials (except roses and spring flowers), should be pruned to the height of 2-3 inches. Prone roses until they are 1 foot tall.
December Planting Zone 5
Temperature: 32 to 43 F (1 to 6 Celsius)
Harvesting: Kale, Brussels sprouts, leeks, winter cabbage, and parsnips.
Pruning: Evergreen trees, and shrubs (you can use the pruning for decoration). Protect your trees with protective sheets and burlap.
Protect your crops in tunnels and greenhouses (winter lettuce, spinach, radish, etc.). Add covers, straw, and mulch.
For more information about Planting Zones visit;