Zone 7 · February · 6 weeks before last frost
What to plant in February in Zone 7
Typical last frost in zone 7 is around Apr 1, and first frost around Oct 25. Days lengthen faster than temperatures rise. Indoor seed-starting becomes worthwhile in cold zones, while warm zones are already harvesting spring greens.
Start indoors this month
Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.
- Cherry Tomato — window Feb 18 – Mar 4 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Basil — window Feb 18 – Mar 4 (2 gal, 8" deep)
- Kale — window Feb 25 – Mar 11 (3 gal, 10" deep)
- Hot Pepper — window Feb 4 – Feb 18 (3 gal, 12" deep)
Set out into the final container
Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.
No transplanting window is open this month here.
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.
Sow for autumn
A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.
No autumn sowing window opens this month in this zone.
Harvesting this month
Nothing from our dataset is in its harvest window this month here.
Not this month
- Bush Bean — next window opens in April. Starting it now means 2 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 7 at a glance
Zone 7 has around 180 frost-free days and a real summer. The limiting factor is July heat, not season length, so shading and watering matter more than sowing dates.
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