What to plant this week in Salt Lake City, UT
With last frost officially averaging March 28, Salt Lake City gardeners are well past the danger of late spring chills and can aggressively sow warm-season crops like Sweet Corn and Watermelon this week. The high desert air is warming up rapidly, signaling that you should move any delayed tomato or pepper seedlings into the ground immediately to catch the growing season before the November 15 freeze.
The next 7 days
Salt Lake City, UTGrowing in Salt Lake City right now
- The valley's intense afternoon sun requires shade cloth for tender starts like Bush Beans if temperatures spike above 90°F, while the cool mornings are still perfect for sowing cold-tolerant crops such as Malabar Spinach and Fennel.
- Soil in the Salt Lake Basin can be heavy with clay or salty; mix in generous compost before planting Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash to improve drainage and nutrient uptake for this week's harvest.
- Water retention is critical due to low humidity, so water deeply at the base of your Okra and Pole Bean plants early in the morning rather than letting the wind evaporate moisture by midday.
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
- Monitor aphids on newly emerged Sweet Corn and Sunflowers as warm temperatures encourage rapid colony growth this week.
- Watch for cutworms damaging young seedlings of Zinnia and Cleome, which thrive in our alkaline soil conditions near the city center.
- Check for powdery mildew on Brassicas like Brussels Sprouts if recent rains have been followed by damp nights.
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.
Salt Lake City gardening questions
3When exactly can I plant my Warm Season crops without fear of frost damage?
You can safely sow and transplant heat-loving plants this week since the average last frost date is March 28, but keep an eye on microclimates in north-facing pockets where cold air settles.
Which of these listed seeds should I prioritize planting outdoors right now for a quick harvest?
Focus on Bush Beans and Bush Bean varieties this week as they are both sowable and ready to harvest soon, often producing pods within 50-60 days in our short summer window.
How do I handle the salt content in Salt Lake soil when planting water-intensive crops like Cucumber or Watermelon?
Amend your planting holes with organic matter like compost and peat moss to leach excess salts, ensuring the roots establish properly before the intense evaporation of our high desert climate sets in.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Salt Lake City garden in SproutGuide →