Gardening in zone 7b
In USDA zone 7b, the coldest winter night averages 5 to 10°F. The typical last spring frost is around Apr 6 and the first fall frost around Nov 1.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 7b, last spring frosts range from about Mar 30 to Apr 19, and first fall frosts from Oct 24 to Nov 14. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 7b is common in: Tennessee, Oklahoma, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Texas, Delaware
Zone 7b planting schedule
Dates below count from the zone’s typical frost dates, so treat them as a starting point. For dates set to your exact ZIP code, use the planting calendar.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant or sow outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Around Feb 23 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Pepper | Around Feb 9 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Feb 9 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Basil | Around Feb 23 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Mar 16 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Mar 16 | Around Apr 13 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Mar 16 | Around Apr 13 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Mar 16 | Around Apr 20 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Apr 6 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around Apr 13 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Feb 23 | Around Aug 23 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Mar 9 | Around Sep 13 |
| Spinach | — | Around Feb 23 | Around Sep 6 |
| Kale | Around Feb 23 | Around Apr 6 | Around Aug 23 |
| Broccoli | Around Feb 9 | Around Mar 23 | Around Jul 26 |
| Cabbage | Around Feb 23 | Around Apr 6 | Around Jul 26 |
| Carrot | — | Around Mar 16 | Around Aug 16 |
| Beet | — | Around Mar 9 | Around Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | Around Mar 9 | Around Sep 20 |
| Onion | Around Jan 26 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Mar 23 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Nov 15 |
Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Frost dates: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (50% chance of 32°F), middle value across the zone's ZIP codes.
Other zones: 3b · 4a · 4b · 5a · 5b · 6a · 6b · 7a · 8a · 8b · 9a · 9b · 10a