Regional guide

Kentucky Three-Region Vegetable Garden

A University of Kentucky guide for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky vegetable planting dates, methods, and safe planting windows.

Climate signals

• University of Kentucky Table 20.14 is a vegetable gardener's calendar with planting dates for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky.
• The calendar says planting dates are approximate and to consult local weather conditions and adjust planting dates accordingly.
• The method legend says I: Start seeds indoors; M: Move transplants to garden; O: Start seeds outdoors.
• Figure 20.8 frames timing around the average date of last killing frost at 36F in spring and the average days between last spring frost and first fall frost.

Planning notes

• Feb. 15, Feb. 22, and Mar. 1 start cole crops, lettuce, and Chinese cabbage indoors for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky.
• Mar. 1, Mar. 8, and Mar. 15 start spinach, mustard, beets, peas, and edible podded peas outdoors for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky.
• May 7, May 15, and May 22 start green beans and lima beans outdoors; those dates also move tomatoes, muskmelons, watermelons, and squash to the garden.
• Aug. 15, Aug. 22, and Aug. 29 start radishes, spinach, turnips, turnip greens, beets, mustard, lettuce, and endive outdoors.
• Table 20.15 gives earliest and latest planting dates in the garden; snap beans run Apr 10, Apr 25, and May 1 for earliest safe planting and July 15, July 25, and Aug 1 for latest safe planting across Eastern, Central, and Western latest columns.
• The Table 20.15 latest safe dates are based on early-maturing varieties; mid-season and late-maturing varieties need to be planted 15 to 30 days earlier.
• Table 20.15 lists winter squash at Apr 20, May 10, and May 15 for earliest safe planting and June 15, July 1, and July 15 for latest safe planting.

Catalog crop examples

These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.

• Provider Bush Bean Vegetable · Warm · 50 days
• Detroit Dark Red Beet Vegetable · Cool · 58 days
• Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
• Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Vegetable · Cool · 100 days
• Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
• Danvers 126 Carrot Vegetable · Shoulder · 70 days
• Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
• Bright Lights Swiss Chard Vegetable · Shoulder · 55 days
• Georgia Southern Collards Vegetable · Cool · 65 days
• Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
• Marketmore 76 Cucumber Vegetable · Warm · 58 days
• Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
• Lacinato Kale Vegetable · Cool · 60 days
• Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
• Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• Hale's Best Jumbo Melon Vegetable · Warm · 85 days
• Southern Giant Curled Mustard Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• Clemson Spineless Okra Vegetable · Warm · 56 days
• Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable · Cool · 62 days
• California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
• Small Sugar Pumpkin Vegetable · Warm · 100 days
• French Breakfast Radish Vegetable · Cool · 28 days
• American Purple Top Rutabaga Vegetable · Cool · 90 days
• Bloomsdale Spinach Vegetable · Cool · 42 days
• Delicata Winter Squash Vegetable · Warm · 100 days
• Waltham Butternut Squash Vegetable · Warm · 95 days
• Roma Tomato Vegetable · Warm · 76 days
• Purple Top White Globe Turnip Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
• Sugar Baby Watermelon Vegetable · Warm · 80 days

Related regional guides

• Ohio Central Normal-Season Vegetable Garden OSU Extension central Ohio guide for normal-season direct-seeded rows, transplants, timing shifts, succession, and fall crops.
• Indiana Frost and Soil Temperature Vegetable Garden A Purdue Extension guide for Indiana frost-relative planting, soil-temperature thresholds, hardiness groups, fall timing, and succession planning.
• Iowa Planting and Harvest Timing Vegetable Garden An Iowa State Extension guide for Iowa vegetable planting schedules, harvest timing, staggered chart use, and April-October planning.
• Kansas Expected Planting Calendar Vegetable Garden A K-State Research and Extension guide for Kansas planting windows, crop temperatures, frost resistance, spacing, and harvest timing.

Source: University of Kentucky Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky