What to plant this week in Madison, WI
With the average last frost date approaching May 1, Madison gardeners are in a brief window to move cool-season crops out of doors before the ground fully warms. This week marks the perfect time to harvest your final Daikon radishes and garlic scapes while preparing your soil for spring transplants.
The next 7 days
Madison, WIGrowing in Madison right now
- Madison's clay-heavy soil often becomes waterlogged during our intense April rainstorms, so ensure you are tilling in plenty of organic matter or planting on raised beds before frost hits.
- Given the zone 5b cold tolerance (-15°F), wait until after May 1 to plant any warm-season vegetables like tomatoes or peppers to avoid early freeze damage.
- Loofah and Roselle vines need strong trellises installed now, as our late April winds can easily snap young stems before they harden off.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
4 crops- Daikon Radish
- Garlic
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
Seasonal tips
- Finish sowing cold-hardy greens now to maximize yields before the soil warms up significantly.
- Prepare raised beds by adding compost ahead of time so they are ready for transplanting in June.
- Plan your succession schedule for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant to ensure a continuous summer harvest.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for spring aphid colonies forming on the first shoots of Daikon radishes and other early greens.
- Monitor garlic crops closely for onion thrips, which often emerge aggressively in Madison's damp spring soil.
- Keep an eye out for slugs snacking on emerging seedlings during our frequent rain events.
Watering this week
Water deeply and consistently now that the ground has thawed, aiming for about 1 inch per week to encourage strong root establishment.
Apply a light layer of mulch around transplants once they are in the ground to retain moisture as the soil temperature fluctuates.
Madison gardening questions
3When is the safest date to put my tomato starts in the ground near Madison?
You should wait until after May 1, when the average last frost date has passed and soil temperatures consistently stay above 50°F.
What can I harvest from my garden this week before spring planting begins?
This is the ideal time to pull your Daikon radishes if they have sized up, and check your garlic bulbs for maturity or scapes for cutting.
How should I prepare my clay soil in Madison for the upcoming spring planting season?
Focus on loosening the top few inches of soil now while it is still workable to improve drainage before our heavy rainstorms arrive, and add compost to help break up the compacted layers.
Other cities in zone 5b
8See the full zone 5b guide → · Plan your Madison garden in SproutGuide →