When I first started gardening, I didn’t give much thought to zones or frost dates. I thought if I planted seeds and watered regularly, I’d get vegetables. It didn’t take long for me to realize there’s a little more to it than that.
Where you live has a huge impact on what you can grow successfully, especially perennials and longer-season crops. Knowing your garden zone and frost dates is the first step to planning your garden, choosing the right plants, and saving yourself a lot of frustration. These are great guidelines to follow, just remember they are guidelines, and not laws. I grow large amounts of basil in zone 7a, which isn’t ideal according to the charts. I just have to prune flowers often to keep the plants growing and bushing out. Once you’ve gained some experience, you can experiment and deviate from the charts.
This post is part of my Backyard Gardening Basics: Getting Started guide, which walks you through the foundations of a beginner-friendly garden.
What Are Garden Hardiness Zones?
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 13 zones based on average low winter temperatures. Your zone tells you what perennial plants can survive the winter where you live. For example, I’m in Zone 7a, which means my winter temperatures can dip down to 0°F. That affects what perennials I can grow, when I start seeds, and how long my growing season lasts. It also gives you a loose guide to what annuals you can grow. Most garden vegetables are grown as annuals. Some peppers and tomatoes can survive winters in milder climates and be grown year round, while other perennials like sunchokes and asparagus can be overwintered with some added precautions.
Here in my area, we have a zone 7a designation. While this lays a foundation for understanding what is recommended or not, I have a few unique experiences with certain plants. Once established, peppers love our hot 90°F summers. Every year my peppers produce big fat healthy peppers that are great for salsas and grilling. Unfortunately the early heat here also means that some leafy greens and herbs will bolt early. This still means I can get a harvest in, but typically it’s short lived. I do plant some of these in late summer to take advantage of our fast approaching fall season. You can look up your exact zone using the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Understanding your particular mini zone in your yard will help you make the right choices when it comes to plant choice, watering methods, growing methods, and how often you need to fertilize.
Why Frost Dates Matter
Zones are only part of the picture. You also need to know your average last frost date in spring and your first frost date in fall. These dates give you your frost-free growing window.
The key word here is “average.” These aren’t promises — they’re estimates. In my second season gardening, I planted seedlings outside the day after my “last frost date.” A surprise cold snap wiped out a whole tray of tomatoes. Thankfully, I had extras, but the lesson stuck: respect frost dates, and always plant with backups. The lesson learned here is that you need to check weather forecasts and keep an eye on changing weather patterns. If I had done this, I could have postponed planting my seedlings by a few days, or added protection to them like blankets or covering. Your zone also shapes how you arrange crops through the season. For step-by-step help, see my guide on Planning Your First Backyard Vegetable Garden. With a little extra work, you can often avoid big mistakes and turn them into wins.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a tool to check your frost date, go check it out: First and Last Frost Dates by Zip Code
Beginner-Friendly Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers by Zone
Every zone has crops that do better than others. Certain plant combinations thrive better together depending on your zone. My guide on Companion Planting Tips That Really Work (coming soon!) covers how to pair crops for stronger growth and fewer pests. To help you plan, here’s a simple chart with a few easy wins for Zones 3–10. I’ve included vegetables, herbs, and flowers, along with planting seasons, quick tips, and some of my favorite companion plant pairings.
🌱 Zone 3–4
Recommended Vegetables/Herbs/Flowers: Peas, Spinach, Radishes, Chives, Marigolds
Planting Season (General):
Early spring & late summer for peas
Spring & fall for spinach/radishes
Spring for chives/marigolds
Notes / Beginner Tips: Short growing season — focus on quick growers. Succession sow radishes. Peas can be a spring & fall crop.
Companion Plants: Peas + carrots; Spinach under taller crops; Marigolds with tomatoes
🌱 Zone 5–6
Recommended Vegetables/Herbs/Flowers: Lettuce, Green Beans, Basil, Carrots, Marigolds
Planting Season (General):
Spring for lettuce/carrots
Late spring–summer for beans/basil
Spring for marigolds
Notes / Beginner Tips: More flexible growing season. Try succession sowing lettuce. Basil thrives in summer heat.
Companion Plants: Basil + tomatoes; Beans + corn; Carrots with chives
🌱 Zone 7–8
Recommended Vegetables/Herbs/Flowers: Tomatoes (cherry), Bell Peppers, Oregano, Zucchini, Marigolds
Planting Season (General): Late spring–summer planting
Notes / Beginner Tips: Longer season — peppers and tomatoes thrive. Watch for heat-sensitive crops like spinach bolting early.
Companion Plants: Tomatoes + basil + marigolds; Peppers + marigolds; Oregano near cucumbers
🌱 Zone 9–10
Recommended Vegetables/Herbs/Flowers: Okra, Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes, Rosemary, Sunflowers*
Planting Season (General): Spring through fall (very long season)
Notes / Beginner Tips: Hot climates suit heat-loving crops. Rosemary and okra thrive here. Sunflowers bring pollinators but may reseed themselves (“volunteers”) next year.
Companion Plants: Eggplant with beans; Sweet potatoes with bush beans; Sunflowers near cucumbers (pollinator boost)
Zone | Recommended Vegetables / Herbs / Flowers | Planting Season (General) | Notes / Beginner Tips | Companion Plants |
3–4 | Peas, Spinach, Radishes, Chives, Marigolds | Early spring & late summer for peas; spring & fall for spinach/radishes; spring for chives/marigolds | Short growing season — focus on quick growers. Succession sow radishes. Peas can be a spring & fall crop. | Peas + carrots; Spinach under taller crops; Marigolds with tomatoes |
5–6 | Lettuce, Green Beans, Basil, Carrots, Marigolds | Spring for lettuce/carrots; late spring–summer for beans/basil; spring for marigolds | More flexible growing season. Try succession sowing lettuce. Basil thrives in summer heat. | Basil + tomatoes; Beans + corn; Carrots with chives |
7–8 | Tomatoes (cherry), Bell Peppers, Oregano, Zucchini, Marigolds | Late spring–summer planting | Longer season — peppers and tomatoes thrive. Watch for heat-sensitive crops like spinach bolting early. | Tomatoes + basil + marigolds; Peppers + marigolds; Oregano near cucumbers |
9–10 | Okra, Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes, Rosemary, Sunflowers* | Spring through fall (very long season) | Hot climates suit heat-loving crops. Rosemary and okra thrive here. Sunflowers bring pollinators but expect “volunteers” from bird droppings next year. | Eggplant with beans; Sweet potatoes with bush beans; Sunflowers near cucumbers (pollinator boost) |
If you’re in a cooler zone like 3 or 4, stick with quick growers such as peas, spinach, and radishes — and don’t be afraid to plant them twice, once in spring and again in late summer. If you want to harvest fresh radishes and greens all season, check out my post on Succession Planting for Continuous Harvests (on the way). Zones 5 and 6 open up more flexibility with staples like lettuce, beans, and carrots. In Zones 7 and 8, warm-season favorites like tomatoes and peppers thrive, while heat-tolerant herbs like oregano are reliable companions. Gardeners in Zones 9 and 10 can enjoy a nearly year-round growing season, focusing on crops that love the heat such as okra, eggplant, and sweet potatoes.
Insider Tips
- Peas: In cooler zones, plant twice — early spring and again in late summer — for two harvests.
- Sunflowers: Amazing for pollinators, but birds will scatter seeds around your yard. Don’t be surprised if sunflowers pop up in odd places the following season.
- Nasturtiums (not listed in chart, but worth mentioning): Great trap crop for aphids and edible flowers, but they sprawl. Plant them in their own spot or give them plenty of room.
I want to quickly recap on knowing your garden growing zone and its usefulness. It’s a great guide to help you make educated decisions, but it’s not perfect. You can deviate from the list, but you’ll need to be resourceful and find ways to overcome the obstacles that some plants face growing in non-optimal zones. As you progress in the coming seasons, you may want to try to grow something that isn’t perfect for your zone. That’s awesome, go for it! Just make sure to do your research so you can ensure success.
Climate Factors
Some climates are limited in the amount of rainfall they get during the summer months. Understanding your area’s rainfall will help you prepare and plan a watering schedule. We talked briefly about checking weather reports, this is another instance where that will be greatly beneficial.
If you live in an area that gets little rainfall, your garden will rely on you for most of its watering needs. This doesn’t mean you can skip checking the weather reports. You still need to keep an eye on possible rain because if not, you could end up over watering your plants which could lead to root rot, split fruits and vegetables, and introduction of diseases.
On the opposite side of this, knowing you are going to have a heat wave lasting for a week can help you prepare to add a little extra water to your schedule. In How to Protect Your Garden from Summer Heat Stress (stay tuned) we will go over ways to help mitigate the stress on your garden during the hottest months of summer.
What are Microclimates?
Ever heard of microclimates? I hadn’t until I experienced it in my yard and had to figure out what was going on. Basically a micro climate is an area where factors change a small portion of an area just enough that it can impact how plants grow. I have an area along a fence that tends to be cooler than anywhere else in the garden. I strategically plant my leafy greens in this area and rotate in some beans to help keep the soil nitrogen rich.
Another factor is understanding how humidity will impact your garden. Where I live the humidity rarely gets close to 50%. We tend to stay in the 20s or 30s most of the year. If you live somewhere where humidity goes above 60%, you will need to take some added precautions. Humid areas will promote diseases like powdery mildew, blight and attract pests like fungal gnats. You also run the risk of root rot and leaf spots. Decreasing the amount you water, using anti fungal remedies like baking soda, and promoting beneficial insects like ladybugs can help alleviate the problem.
Once you know your zone, the next step is Building Healthy Soil for Your Backyard Garden so your plants have the right foundation to thrive.
FAQ: Common Beginner Questions About Zones
What do the “a” and “b” subzones mean?
Each hardiness zone is divided into two subzones, “a” and “b,” which represent a 5°F difference in the minimum temperature range. For example, Zone 7a is colder than Zone 7b. Using subzones provides more specific guidance for gardeners, especially if your location is on the border of a larger zone.
What if I live on the border of two zones?
Zones are guidelines, not strict lines. If you’re in between, choose plants that grow in both and then experiment. You may find some years you can push for crops from the warmer zone, while in colder years you’ll stick to the safer bets.
Do zones tell me everything I need to know about gardening?
Not quite. Zones focus on winter lows, but soil quality, sunlight, and rainfall are just as important. Think of your zone as the baseline, then build from there.
Do microclimates matter more than my official zone?
Sometimes, yes. A sunny spot against a south-facing wall can act like it’s a zone warmer, while a shady corner might feel a zone cooler. Learn your yard as much as your zone.
Final Thoughts
Zones and frost dates may sound intimidating at first, but once you understand them, they’ll become second nature. Start by learning your USDA zone and checking your frost dates. Choose a few beginner-friendly crops for your zone, keep notes on what works, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Every season you’ll learn something new — and before long, you’ll be the one sharing insider secrets with the next beginner gardener.
