What to plant this week in Oklahoma City, OK
With average last frost dates around March 28, Oklahoma City gardeners are now in the prime window for planting heat-loving crops like summer squash and zucchini directly into the ground. This week marks a critical push for harvesting early beans and melons before potential late spring weather shifts impact your yields.
The next 7 days
Oklahoma City, OKGrowing in Oklahoma City right now
- Oklahoma's heavy clay soil can become sticky when wet, so wait until the sun bakes the surface crust to avoid compaction during transplanting or weeding this week.
- Given our typical afternoon thunderstorm patterns in April/May, use temporary row covers or shade cloth on young squash and melons to prevent physical damage from hail or wind-driven rain.
- Focus irrigation on the morning hours to allow leaves to dry before nightfall, which is essential for preventing fungal issues in our high-humidity spring seasons.
Sow this week
2 crops- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
36 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans every two weeks to ensure a continuous harvest through late August.
- Thin seedlings early on okra and watermelon plants to allow remaining specimens room to spread their vines.
- Apply a light layer of compost around established summer squash and zucchini to feed heavy fruiting plants.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early-season aphids colonizing the new growth of pole beans and sweet corn as temperatures stabilize above 5°F minimums.
- Monitor squash vine borers on your newly planted summer squash and zucchini; check stems weekly for entry holes or frass at the base of the plant.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to keep soil moist without wetting foliage, especially when fruit sets in.
Harvest zucchini and summer squash every two days to prevent them from becoming tough and bitter.
Oklahoma City gardening questions
3Can I still start tomatoes indoors this week if I missed my March window?
It is too late to start indeterminate tomatoes indoors now given our average last frost date of March 28; instead, focus on direct-sowing warm-season crops that thrive in our heat.
When should I expect my cantaloupe and honeydew melons to ripen?
In Oklahoma City's zone 7b climate, you can anticipate the first fruits of these varieties appearing within 60-80 days after direct sowing, likely starting late June or early July.
Are there specific corn varieties better suited for our short growing season?
Flour corn and sweet corn listed as harvestable soon this week are excellent choices; select shorter-season hybrids (under 100 days) to ensure they mature before the first frost around November 15.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Oklahoma City garden in SproutGuide →