What to Plant by State (Cooperative Extension Guides)
How to use this page
Gardening advice on the internet can be confusing… especially when planting dates vary so much depending on where you live. What works in Texas won’t work in Maine, and even neighboring states can have very different growing seasons.
That’s where your local Cooperative Extension Office comes in.
Every U.S. state has a land-grant university with an Extension Office whose job is to provide research-based, region-specific gardening guidance. FOR FREE. These planting calendars are created by horticulturists and agricultural experts who understand your climate, frost dates, and growing conditions.
This page brings those trusted resources together in one easy place.
Get Started:
- Find your state in the alphabetical list below.
- Click the link to your state’s official Extension planting calendar or guide.
- Use that guide to see:
- What to plant
- When to plant
- Whether crops are best started indoors or direct-sown
🇺🇸 50-State Extension Planting Calendar and Guides (Alphabetical List)
- Alabama – Alabama Cooperative Extension
- Alaska – University of Alaska Cooperative Extension
- Arizona – University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Arkansas – University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
- California – UC ANR or County Extensions
- Colorado – Colorado State University Extension
- Colorado Vegetable Planting Guide – All Regions
- (^This is one of the most comprehensive free guides I’ve seen! Lucky Coloradans).
- Colorado Vegetable Planting Guide – All Regions
- Connecticut – UConn Extension
- Delaware – University of Delaware Extension
- Florida – UF/IFAS Extension
- Georgia – UGA Cooperative Extension
- Hawaii – University of Hawaii CTAHR
- Idaho – University of Idaho Extension planting dates & growing guides
- Illinois – U of I Extension
- Indiana – Purdue Extension planting guidelines & calendars
- Iowa – Iowa State University Extension
- Kansas – Kansas State Research & Extension
- Kentucky – Kentucky Cooperative Extension (they have lots of stuff! Lucky Kentuckians).
- Louisiana – LSU AgCenter
- Maine – UMaine Cooperative Extension
- Maryland – University of Maryland Extension Vegetable Planting Calendar (page with PDF links)
- Massachusetts – UMass Extension
- Massachusetts Vegetable Planting Chart PDF
- Massachusetts 2026 Garden Calendar (for purchase)
- Looks like UMass makes a beautiful wall calendar that has state-specific gardening info on each day of the year.
- It’s pretty (but not free) – $16 and free shipping
- Looks like UMass makes a beautiful wall calendar that has state-specific gardening info on each day of the year.
- Michigan – MSU Extension
- Minnesota – U of Minnesota Extension
- Mississippi – Mississippi State University Extension (online tables)
- Missouri – University of Missouri Extension
- Missouri Vegetable Planting Calendar PDF (comprehensive guide)
- Montana – Montana State Extension planting guides
- Nebraska – UNL Extension planting dates
- Nebraska Backyard Farmer Resource Site
- Cool free events list and submit garden questions for free
- Nebraska Monthly Garden Guides Site
- Selecting and preparing Veggies, herbs, and fruit PDF
- Starting Seeds Indoors Guide
- Nebraska Backyard Farmer Resource Site
- Nevada – Nevada Extension
- New Hampshire – UNH Extension
- New Jersey – Rutgers Cooperative Extension planting guides
- New Mexico – NMSU Extension planting calendars
- New York – Cornell Cooperative Extension first planting dates & vegetable resources
- North Carolina – NC State Extension Vegetable Planting Calendar PDF and regional guides
- North Dakota – NDSU Extension
- Ohio – Ohio State Extension
- Oklahoma – OSU Extension
- Oregon – Oregon State Extension
- Pennsylvania – Penn State Extension
- Rhode Island – URI Extension
- South Carolina – Clemson Cooperative Extension
- SC Home & Garden Information Center Site
- SC Planning a Garden Guide and Calendar
- SC Watering Recs, Planting Timelines, etc. PDF
- SC Ask a Master Gardener Quick Reference Chart
- Google “South Carolina” and the solution source reference.. ex. Google “South Carolina HGIC 2350”
- South Dakota – SDSU Extension planting calendar
- Vegetable Gardening in South Dakota PDF (comprehensive guide, all regions with dates)
- Tennessee – UT Extension
- Tennessee 2026 Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden Calendar PDF (New free one every year!)
- This is one of the coolest things, it’s a free printable wall calendar with all the dates you need to know!
- Tennessee Full Garden Resource Page
- Tennessee 2026 Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden Calendar PDF (New free one every year!)
- Texas – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Utah – Utah State University Extension
- Vermont – UVM Extension
- Virginia – Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Washington – WSU Extension planting guides & zone calendars
- West Virginia – WVU Extension Garden Calendar and planting guides
- Wisconsin – University of Wisconsin Extension
- Wyoming – UW Extension
- Wyoming Fruit & Vegetable Growing Guide PDF (calendar included)
- Wyoming Planting (calendar only)
- BONUS: Southeastern
Why These Guides Are So Helpful
- They’re specific to your climate
- They’re updated by professionals
- They take the guesswork out of planting dates
- They help you garden more confidently and successfully
- Instead of relying on generalized charts or social media advice, these guides give you information that’s actually meant for your backyard.
A Quick Note
These links lead directly to official Extension Office resources. I don’t host or modify these guides – this page simply connects you to the best, most reliable information available for each state.
At the bottom of most of these PDF guides, you will see the website for your state’s Extension Office. You can also go to their websites for even more resources like cheap or free soil testing or pest identification!
If you’re ever unsure, your local county Extension Office is also an excellent place to ask questions, they are happy to give personalized help for free! Your taxes are already paying for it so you might as well take full advantage.
Happy Gardening!
❤️ Rachel
