What to plant this week in Zone 2b
Zone 2b gardeners are still in the cold-weather hold as average frost returns on September 1, but you can enjoy harvesting your late blooms like French Marigolds and Bachelor's Button. Keep an eye out for your Lettuce and Cleome (Spider Flower) before the first chill sets in.
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- Bachelor's Button (Cornflower)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- French Marigold
- Lettuce
Seasonal tips
- Finish all outdoor planting by mid-August to ensure crops mature before the early September frost.
- Apply a thick layer of mulch over wintering perennials to protect roots from extreme lows down to -45°F.
- Clear fallen leaves and debris to prevent overwintering pests and diseases for next spring.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor for aphids on your Cleome and French Marigold stems as temperatures cool.
- Check Lettuce heads for leaf miners or slugs before the first hard frost arrives.
- Watch for powdery mildew on any remaining green foliage in damp, cool conditions.
Watering this week
Water deeply but infrequently now that soil is cooling and evaporation has slowed significantly.
Gather your fresh-cut flowers like Spider Flower to bring vibrant color indoors while the garden sleeps.
Zone 2b planting calendar
14 cropsAverage planting and harvest windows for everything that grows in zone 2b — 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 9
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arugula | — | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | — | May 27 – Jul 18 | 35d | |
| Garden Pea | — | Apr 13 – May 11 | — | Jun 7 – Jul 20 | 63d | |
| Lettuce | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 11 – Aug 7 | 53d | |
| Parsnip | — | May 11 – Jun 8 | — | Aug 19 – Sep 22 | 110d | |
| Radish | — | Apr 27 – Jun 22 | — | May 19 – Jul 22 | 26d | |
| Rutabaga | — | May 11 – Jun 8 | — | Aug 9 – Sep 16 | 95d | |
| Snow Pea | — | Apr 13 – May 11 | — | Jun 12 – Jul 20 | 65d | |
| Spinach | — | Apr 13 – May 25 | — | May 18 – Jul 9 | 40d | |
| Sugar Snap Pea | — | Apr 13 – May 11 | — | Jun 7 – Jul 15 | 60d |
Fruits 2
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry | — | — | May 11 – Jun 22 | — | 1.5 yr | |
| Honeyberry (Haskap) | — | — | May 11 – Jun 22 | — | 2.5 yr |
Flowers 3
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Button (Cornflower) | — | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | — | Jul 1 – Aug 17 | 68d | |
| Cleome (Spider Flower) | — | Jun 1 – Jun 22 | — | Jul 26 – Sep 5 | 65d | |
| French Marigold | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – Jun 22 | Jun 1 – Jun 15 | Jul 16 – Aug 21 | 53d |