Zone 3 Planting Guide
When to Start Planting According to Your Hardiness Zone
The United States is broken into 13 hardiness zones. Each zone has specific requirements for when certain plants should be started. The zones were created based on the area’s lowest average temperature. Zone 3 is known for its harsh conditions and cold temperatures. Parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota are in zone 3. Because of this, some plants simply aren’t suited to grow in this zone. For more information on what plants are suitable for zone 3 and when they should be started, check out our zone 3 graph below.
| Garden Planting Chart (start seeds in a controlled environment before these dates as indicated) | ||||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zones 3 & 4 | Zones 5 & 6 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Artichokes | Crown | Aug – Oct | Aug – Nov | |||
| (globe) | pieces | May – Jun | Apr – June | |||
| Asparagus | 1 year | Mar – Apr | Feb – Mar | Apr 15 – May 1 | Apr 5 – 25 | 2nd seas. |
| Beans (lima) | not | May – Jun | May 15 – Jun 10 | May 10 – 25 | 65-75 | |
| suitable | ||||||
| Beans (snap) | May – Jun | May – July | May 15 – Jul 1 | May 10 – 20 | 50-60 | |
| Beets | Mar – Jun | Mar – Jun | Apr 15 – Jul 1 | Apr 1 – 15 | 55-65 | |
| Broccoli | 6 weeks | May – Jun | Mar – Aug | Apr 15 – Jun 1 |
Mar 25 – Apr 5 Apr 5 |
60-80 |
| Sep 25 – 30 | ||||||
| Brussels sprouts | 6 weeks | May – Jun | May – Jul | Apr 15 – Jun 1 | ||
| Cabbage | 6 weeks | Jan – Apr | Apr – Jun | April 1 – May 1 | Apr 1 – 20 | 65-80 |
| July – Sep | Sep 20 – 30 | |||||
| Cantaloupes | 4 weeks | not | May | May 15 – June 1 | May 10- 20 | 80-90 |
| suitable | ||||||
| Carrots | Jan – Jun | Mar – Jul 15 | April 15 – June 15 |
Mar 25 – Apr 10 |
70-80 | |
| Sept 20-30 | ||||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zones 3 & 4 | Zones 5 & 6 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Cauliflower | 6 weeks | January & | Apr – Jul 15 | April 15 – June 15 | Apr 1 – 20 | 55-60 |
| June | Sept 20 – 30 | |||||
| Celery | 9 weeks | Mar – Jun | Mar – Jul | May (mid) | ||
| Chard | Feb – May | Apr – Jul | May (early) | |||
| Chinese | 4 weeks | Jul – Aug | August | Jul (early) | ||
| cabbage | ||||||
| Chives | 6 weeks | Apr – May | Mar – May | |||
| Corn (sweet) | Apr – May | Apr – Jun | May 1 to Jul 20 | 80-100 | ||
| Cucumbers | 4 weeks | Apr – Jun | May – Jun | May 1 – Jun 15 | May 10 – 30 | 60-65 |
| (slicing) | ||||||
| Cucumbers | 4 weeks | May | May – Jun | |||
| (pickling) | ||||||
| Dill | May | May | ||||
| Eggplants | 9 weeks | not | May | Jun (early) | May 15 – 25 | 70-90 |
| suitable | ||||||
| Endive | 6 weeks | Mar – Jul | Apr – Aug 15 | Apr (mid) | ||
| Garlic | Sep – Oct | Sep – Feb | Oct – Nov 1 | |||
| Kale | May – Jul | May – July | Apr 15 – Jul 15 | Mar 25 – Apr 5 | 50-70 | |
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zones 3 & 4 | Zones 5 & 6 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Kohlrabi | Jul – Aug | Apr – Aug 15 | Apr 15 – Aug 15 | Apr (early) | ||
| Sept (late) | ||||||
| Leeks | Feb – Apr | Mar – May | ||||
| Lettuce (head) | 5 weeks | Feb – Jul | Apr -July | Apr 15 – Aug 15 | Apr 1 – May 15 | 60-85 |
| Sep 1 – 15 | ||||||
| Lettuce (leaf) | 5 weeks | Feb – Aug | Apr – Aug | Apr 15 – May 1 | Apr 1 – Jun 15 | 45-65 |
| Sep 1 – 15 | ||||||
| Okra | 8 weeks | not | not | Jun (early) | May 10 – 25 | 55-60 |
| suitable | suitable | |||||
| Onions | 10 weeks | Jan – May | Mar – May | Apr (mid) | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | 100-120 |
| Sep 1 – Dec 31 | ||||||
| Parsley | 10 weeks | Dec – May | Mar – Jun | Apr 15 – May 1 | ||
| Parsnips | May – June | Apr – May | May 1 – 15 | |||
| Peas | Jan – Aug | Feb – May | Apr 10 – May 15 | Mar 25 – Apr 10 | 60-80 | |
| Peppers | 10 weeks | May | May – June | Jun (early) | May 15 – May 30 | 65-80 |
| Potatoes | 6 weeks | not | not | Jun (early) | May 15 – Jun 5 | 90-150 |
| (sweet) | suitable | suitable | ||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zones 3 & 4 | Zones 5 & 6 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Potatoes (white) | Feb – May | Apr – Jun | Apr 15 – Jun 1 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | 70-90 | |
| Pumpkins | May | May | May (mid) | May 15 – 30 | 85-90 | |
| Radish | All year | Mar – Sep | Apr 10 – Jun 1 | Mar 25 – May 1 Aug 1 – 20 | 25-30 | |
| Aug 1 – Aug 15 | ||||||
| Rhubarb | Crown | Dec – Jan | Mar – Apr | Apr 15 – May 1 | ||
| pieces | ||||||
| Rutabagas | Jun – Jul | Jun – July | May 15 – Jun 15 | |||
| Spinach | Aug – Feb | April or | Apr (mid) | April 1 – 20 | 40-45 | |
| Sept. | Aug 1- Aug 15 | Aug 10 – Sep 20 | ||||
| Squash | 4 weeks | May | May – Jun | May 10 – Jun 1 | May 15 – 30 | 50-55 |
| (summer) | ||||||
| Squash (winter) | 4 weeks | May | May | May 10 – Jun 1 | May 15 – 30 | 85-90 |
| Tomatoes | 8 weeks | May – Jun | May | May 15 – Jun 1 | May 15 – 30 | 70-85 |
| Turnips | January & | Apr – Sep | Apr (mid) | Mar 25 – May 1 | 45-65 | |
| August | Aug (early) | Aug 5 – Set 20 | ||||
| Watermelons | 4 weeks | not | May | May 15 – Jun 1 | May 10 – 12 | 80-90 |
| suitable | ||||||
| For many crops, the quantity of starts to plant should be divided into several plantings, 1 or 2 weeks apart. | ||||||
| This schedule was compiled from extension service materials and is incomplete. We will update it when possible. Look up your local USDA extension office for more information. This table cannot be republished without permission. |
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