Regional Vegetable Gardening in the USA
The US runs from zone 3 on the northern plains to zone 11 in south Florida. We group the country into three bands, the same ones used in our USA planting calendar and month guides.
Freeze data are NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals; zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Find your band
Zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature over 30 years, not the coldest night ever recorded. Look up your ZIP code on the USDA map, then pick your band:
| Band | Example cities | Median freeze-free days |
|---|---|---|
| Cold zones 3–6 | Bismarck ND, Fargo ND, Duluth MN, Minneapolis MN… | 136–192 |
| Mild zones 7–8 | Pittsburgh PA, Nashville TN, Atlanta GA, Baltimore MD… | 181–262 |
| Hot zones 9–11 | San Antonio TX, Houston TX, Orlando FL, Phoenix AZ… | 277–365 |
Why the band matters
In the cold band, hardy crops go in weeks before the last spring frost and tender crops wait until it has passed. In the hot band, the main cool-season garden starts in fall. In between, the mild band grows a cool-season garden in spring and again in fall.
Plan by month
Every month guide gives advice by zone group: see monthly and seasonal gardening in the USA, or use the USA vegetable planting calendar and USA growing guides.
References
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (freeze dates, temperature, precipitation)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and Oregon State University PRISM: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, ZIP code listing
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: How to use the maps (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map)
- Iowa State University Extension: New plant hardiness zone map released from the USDA
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension: Hardiness zone maps
- University of Illinois Extension: Starting a garden: cool-season vegetables
- Penn State Extension: Cool-season vs. warm-season vegetables
- Iowa State University Extension: What’s the difference between cool and warm season veggies?
- Colorado State University Extension: Vegetable planting guide
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Vegetable gardens by season
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension: Fall vegetable gardening
- LSU AgCenter: Vegetable gardening in the fall
- University of Illinois Extension: Planting a fall vegetable garden
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Basics of fall vegetable gardening
Figures in the tables are the official averages named above. Every other statement is supported by at least three of these sources. The month-by-month notes summarise our own month guides, each of which lists its sources. All sources were checked on 24 October 2026.
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Match The Season To The Work
Seasonal jobs come down to timing, soil care, and keeping a simple record of what needs doing next.
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Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.