What to plant this week in Zone 2a
Welcome to Zone 2a, where the ground is still frozen and patience is key until your last frost date of June 1. While you wait for spring soil to warm, focus on planning your garden layout rather than active sowing or transplanting.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
3 crops- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Parsnip
- Rutabaga
Seasonal tips
- Clean up dead plant debris from winter to prevent disease carryover before the first planting season begins.
- Order seeds and purchase hardy perennial plants now so they are ready for immediate planting when the frost passes.
- Prepare a compost pile early in the spring, even if you cannot add green waste yet due to freezing temperatures.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor rodent activity as mice often seek shelter under mulch or near garden beds during winter.
- Check for overwintering insect eggs on evergreens that may hatch once temperatures rise above 40°F.
Watering this week
Do not water the garden at this time, as frozen soil prevents absorption and can damage plant roots if thawed unevenly.
Take advantage of cooler indoor air to inspect your seed inventory and organize your planting calendar for late May.
Zone 2a planting calendar
15 cropsAverage planting and harvest windows for everything that grows in zone 2a — dates shift a week or two with the season, so treat them as a starting point and check the weekly guide above for what's open right now.
- Start indoors
- Sow outdoors
- Transplant
- Harvest
Vegetables 10
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arugula | — | May 4 – Jun 15 | — | Jun 3 – Jul 25 | 35d | |
| Daikon Radish | — | Jun 23 – Jul 28 | — | Aug 12 – Sep 15 | 60d | |
| Garden Pea | — | Apr 20 – May 18 | — | Jun 14 – Jul 27 | 63d | |
| Lettuce | Apr 20 – May 4 | May 4 – Jun 15 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jun 18 – Aug 14 | 53d | |
| Parsnip | — | May 18 – Jun 15 | — | Aug 26 – Sep 15 | 110d | |
| Radish | — | May 4 – Jun 29 | — | May 26 – Jul 29 | 26d | |
| Rutabaga | — | May 18 – Jun 15 | — | Aug 16 – Sep 15 | 95d | |
| Snow Pea | — | Apr 20 – May 18 | — | Jun 19 – Jul 27 | 65d | |
| Spinach | — | Apr 20 – Jun 1 | — | May 25 – Jul 16 | 40d | |
| Sugar Snap Pea | — | Apr 20 – May 18 | — | Jun 14 – Jul 22 | 60d |
Fruits 2
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry | — | — | May 18 – Jun 29 | — | 1.5 yr | |
| Honeyberry (Haskap) | — | — | May 18 – Jun 29 | — | 2.5 yr |
Flowers 3
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Button (Cornflower) | — | May 4 – Jun 15 | — | Jul 8 – Aug 24 | 68d | |
| Cleome (Spider Flower) | — | Jun 8 – Jun 29 | — | Aug 2 – Sep 12 | 65d | |
| French Marigold | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 8 – Jun 29 | Jun 8 – Jun 22 | Jul 23 – Aug 28 | 53d |