What to plant this week in Knoxville, TN
With average last frost dates hovering around March 28, Knoxville gardeners are in the thick of late spring cleanup and early summer seeding. While your tender crops like okra and watermelon can now be sown directly into the warming ground, keep an eye on evening air temperatures that might still dip near freezing for sensitive starts.
The next 7 days
Knoxville, TNGrowing in Knoxville right now
- Knoxville's clay-heavy river valley soil compacts easily when wet; till lightly after rain to incorporate organic matter before planting beans or squash.
- The city sits in a low-lying drainage basin where cold air settles at night, so use row covers on young transplants if a late chill is forecasted this week.
- Spring rains often saturate the Ocoee River floodplain areas; ensure raised beds for melons and cucumbers have excellent runoff to prevent root rot.
- High humidity in East Tennessee creates ideal conditions for fungal issues, making consistent airflow around dense plantings like marigolds and zinnias essential.
Sow this week
27 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
48 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Habanero Pepper
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks to extend your summer bean harvest.
- Apply a light mulch around newly transplanted squash and watermelons to retain soil moisture as temperatures rise.
- Pinch back the tops of basil plants regularly now that they are established to encourage bushier growth.
- Prepare for a second planting of fast-maturing crops like radishes or lettuce if you missed an earlier window.
Pest & disease watch
- Early season aphid colonies are building on the undersides of emerging bean leaves as temperatures stabilize above 50°F.
- Spider mites can appear quickly during dry spells in late spring, targeting the fine foliage of shiso and basil plants.
- Slugs remain active under leaf litter near water features, feeding heavily on tender seedlings like nasturtium and malabar spinach.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants each morning to encourage deep roots while preventing fungal diseases on foliage.
Harvest your okra early in the morning when pods are tender, as they become tough and stringy later in the day.
Knoxville gardening questions
3Can I plant my okra seeds now or do I need to wait for warmer soil?
Yes, this is prime time to sow okra directly in Knoxville; the heat-loving annual thrives once the soil consistently stays above 50°F. Start them in containers if you have a particularly cool week and move them out after the danger of frost has fully passed.
My watermelon plants look leggy despite getting full sun—what should I do?
Leggy growth often means your seedlings are stretching for light; thin crowded rows or trim the lower leaves to improve air circulation. Ensure they aren't sitting in cold, wet spots where the Ocoee River drainage slows down.
Should I harvest my garlic now, and how do I know it's ready?
Harvest your garlic when the lower leaves begin to turn brown and fall over, usually a few weeks before your first expected frost in mid-November. Pull bulbs gently by loosening soil with a fork to keep the necks intact for curing.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Knoxville garden in SproutGuide →