My least favorite month of the year is February. As I am writing this, we are deep into it. What I love least about it is that we have already endured a long winter season, and yet it is far from over. I live in Southwest Michigan, and that means that most of March is still wintery weather. However, even I can see the promise of spring around the corner. Despite my garden beds being covered in ice and snow, there are seeds that I need to start this month in order for them to be ready for spring planting. In this article, I will briefly go over the most common zones in the USA and how you can get your garden started in February to kick off the growing season well!

What Growing Zone Am I In?

Recently the USDA made some updates to the hardiness zone map based on a greater collection of data. In short, the USDA Zone Hardiness map assigns a number to each region of the USA based on the average winter low temperature that the area experiences each year. This number is often used as a guide to what seeds you can grow. So, if you determine what growing zone you are in along with how long your growing season is, you can select what types of seeds you can grow, when to start your seeds indoors, and other information. Visit the USDA's website and put in your zip code to discover what zone you are working with and then scroll to the appropriate subheading below! For the sake of simplicity, I will ignore the subclasses of ‘a’ and ‘b’ as they won’t make a huge difference when it comes to seed starting.

Calculating How Long Your Growing Season Is and Identifying Last Frost Dates

Knowing your zone is a great place to start, but what is even more relevant to seed starting is knowing what your last frost date is and how many weeks away that is. You can easily find out what the typical last frost date is for your area by contacting your local extension office or using the climate.gov interactive map tool. Then, looking at the calendar, count backward from that day to today, and that is how many weeks you have until there is no threat of frost and you can freely plant outdoors. The last frost date for people living in the same growing zone will vary based on local factors like elevation and latitude, which is why it is important to know both your zone and last frost date when determining planting times. If a seed needs to be started indoors, the packet or info page will say something like “Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks ahead of time.” When that time frame comes for you, you know what to do! That is why I have also listed the typical weeks to outdoor planting timeframe under each zone, just in case your particular area is different. Use these two numbers and any local recommendations or resources you have to determine your exact planting schedule.

Selecting the Right Seeds For My Zone

Finding the right seeds for your zone can seem overwhelming at times, especially when you consider other choices like your garden size, what type of vegetables you want, your preferred color of fruit, etc. True Leaf Market has made choosing the right seeds easy with our seed finder quizzes. Each quiz allows you to enter your zone (based on zipcode), garden size, and select the desired characteristics for each vegetable. Finding the right seeds is easy and worry-free!

Seed Starting Supplies

Getting the right supplies to start seeds indoors can make or break your spring garden. I recommend getting seed starting trays or inserts of your choice (I like the 12-Cell Seed Starting 4-Pack). You will also want to get some kind of seed starting growing material like coconut coir. Mixing coco coir with perlite can provide improved drainage. Do not use soil from outside, as it is often not suitable for indoor seed-starting purposes. That is the basics but what often gets overlooked is light and heat. Setting seed trays in windows can provide light but often makes the seeds too cold. Many times, a windowsill doesn’t even provide enough light for tender seedlings. Getting heating pads and grow lights can fix that issue! When I finally upgraded my setup to include heat and light, I saw a major difference in the vigor of my seedlings. Grow tents are also a fantastic tool.

Zone 3

Zone three represents the coldest regions in the U.S. and includes areas in Alaska,Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Maine, and Vermont. By mid-February, temperatures are still well below freezing, often ranging from -10 to 20 F. Snow cover is expected, and outdoor planting is not possible.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 14-16
• Last Frost Date Window: Mid May to early June
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Slow growing annual flowers like pansies, cool season herbs including parsley, and other slow-growing perennials like lavender, echinacea and foxglove that would benefit from a headstart.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: Too cold for outdoor sowing.

Zone 4

Zone 4 covers regions such as parts of Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, and Maine. February remains cold, with daytime highs in the 20 to 30 F range and nighttime temperatures often dipping below zero. Snow is expected, and the ground will be frozen solid for another month or so.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 12-14
• Last Frost Date Window: Mid-April to Late-May
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Asparagus, Cool Season Flowers like pansies and petunias, Celery Root, and Leeks.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: Still too cold for outdoor sowing.

Zone 5

In Zone 5, which includes parts of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. February temperatures range from 20 to 40 F. While it’s still cold, the ground remains frozen and prevents any kind of outdoor gardening work.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 10-13
• Last Frost Date Window: Mid-April to Late-May
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Celery, Endive, Radicchio, Rhubarb, and Cool Season Herbs.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: Too cold for outdoor sowing.

Zone 6

Zone six includes parts of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. With the occasional warm spell, February temperatures range from 30 to 50 F, though frosts are still common. In the northern parts of zone Six, frequent snows are still expected, and the days are short.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 9-12
• Last Frost Date Window: April to Mid-May
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Warm Season Flowers like marigolds, Nightshades like tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, Brassicas (Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, etc), and Onion.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: If the weather is mild by late February, you might be able to sow hardy greens like Spinach and Lettuce directly into the ground under row covers.

Zone 7

In Zone 7, which includes areas like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. February is temperate, with daytime highs reaching 40 to 60 F. While frost is still possible, temperatures are milder. Snow is less common, but light frosts are likely to occur in February.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 6-9
• Last Frost Date Window: Mid-March to April
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Brassicas like cauliflower, Crucifers like collard greens and Cucurbits such as cucumber, gourds, and melons.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: As soon as the soil is workable, you can sow hardy crops like Peas, Spinach, Radishes, Mustard, and Carrots. If you are not planning on having a spring garden this year, now is the time to plant your spring cover crop.

Zone 8

Zone 8, which includes parts of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, sees mild temperatures in February, ranging from 40 to 60 F. There’s still the potential for light frost, but warmer days are becoming more frequent. Zone 8 regions can experience ice storms but rarely see snow in the winter, but it is possible.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 4-6
• Last Frost Date Window: March to Mid-April
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Cool-season brassicas and greens such as Swiss Chard, Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Okra, and warm-season Cucurbits like pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash, and watermelon.
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: Cool-season greens and root crops like Spinach, Endive, Celery root, Radishes, Beets, Parsnip, Arugula, and Turnips. If you’re not having a spring garden this year and haven’t sown a spring cover crop yet, now is the time to do it. February is also the perfect time for broadcast sowing wildflower seeds in zone 8. Natural spring moisture will help with establishment.

Zone 9

Zone 9, including parts of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia enjoys mild winters. February temperatures range from 50 to 70 F, and frosts are rare. Gardeners in this region can plant a garden year-round if they want to, planting cool-season crops in the fall and winter and warm-season crops in the spring and summer. Some shade protection may be needed during the hot summer months.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: 2-4
• Last Frost Date Window: February to Mid-March
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Warm Season Herbs and Curcurbits (Melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, etc).
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: Root vegetable such as carrots, rutabaga, and potatoes, and any cool season crops listed for zone 8.

Zone 10

Zone 10, which includes parts of California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Southern Florida experiences very mild winters. February temperatures range from 60 to 80 F. These places rarely, if ever, see snow and frost. Those in zone ten can be limited by the extreme heat they experience in mid to late summer. Tools such as shade cloth can be beneficial in reducing the stress experienced during the summer months.

• Approximate Weeks Until Last Frost: Zero, plant now!
• Last Frost Date Window: Does not typically experience frosts.
• Seeds to Start Indoors: Peppers and Tomatoes (Not technically necessary, but some prefer to start these seedlings in a controlled environment)
• Seeds to Sow or Transplant Outdoors: You can plant almost everything outdoors in February, including tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, and melons. This is also a good time to directly sow herbs like thyme and oregano outdoors. This early in the season, gardeners should favor planting crops that need a long growing season and those that will not survive the summer heat of this southern zone.

February is not often associated with garden planting in the media. However, it is the perfect time to start! Timing is crucial because starting seeds too early or too late can impact the success of your plants. Whether you’re in the snowy regions of Zone 3 or the balmy areas of Zone 10, starting seeds indoors allows you to get a head start on your growing season. Knowing when to sow outdoors can ensure success! If you have more questions, contact your local extension office or browse their website. Many offices provide general outlines for planting schedules that can be used to guide your garden-starting efforts.

Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I also reside, and I love all things plants! I got a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture and found the first work-from-home job I could get. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!