Growing Guide

Find zone-specific plant recommendations and frost date guidance based on USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 1–13. Enter your ZIP code to get tailored advice for what grows best in your area.

The USDA hardiness zone system divides North America into 13 zones based on average annual minimum winter temperatures. Knowing your zone helps you choose plants that will thrive in your local climate.

GardenCoop members get access to a full catalog of 237 vegetables, fruits, herbs, medicinal herbs, and grains — including 234 premium entries — with detailed zone-specific planting tips, soil requirements, and frost date guidance.

Free Preview: Sample Plant Entries

Basil

Category: Herb — Season: Warm season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11

Sunlight: Full Sun — Water: Moderate

Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained loam, pH 6.0–7.0

Planting Time: Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost. Transplant only when nights are reliably above 50°F. Any frost kills it instantly.

Growing Tips: Pinch off flower spikes as soon as they appear — this doubles your leaf harvest period. Grow near tomatoes to repel aphids and whiteflies. Thai basil is more heat-tolerant than Genovese. Harvest in the morning for highest essential oil concentration. Never refrigerate fresh basil — it blackens.

Onion

Category: Vegetable — Season: Cool season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10

Sunlight: Full Sun — Water: Moderate

Soil: Rich, loose, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.0

Planting Time: Plant sets or transplants in early spring (4–6 weeks before last frost). Long-day varieties for zones 6 and north; short-day for zones 7 and south.

Growing Tips: Day length determines bulb initiation — choose the correct type for your latitude. Harvest when 50–75% of tops have fallen and begun to dry. Cure in a single layer with good air circulation for 2–4 weeks before storage. Onion maggots are the primary soil pest — use row covers. 'Copra' is the best keeper (stores 6+ months); 'Walla Walla' is the sweetest but stores poorly.

Tomato

Category: Vegetable — Season: Warm season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11

Sunlight: Full Sun — Water: Moderate

Soil: Rich, well-drained, slightly acidic, pH 6.0–6.8

Planting Time: Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost. Transplant 1–2 weeks after last frost when nights consistently stay above 50°F. Soil temperature should reach 60°F.

Growing Tips: Plant deeply — bury stem up to first true leaves, forming adventitious roots along the buried stem for a stronger plant. Consistent watering (avoid wet-dry cycles) prevents blossom end rot and cracking. Rotate planting location every 3–4 years to prevent soilborne diseases. Determinate types ('Roma', 'Celebrity') set all fruit at once; indeterminate types ('Cherokee Purple', 'Sungold') produce continuously until frost.

Full Plant Catalog (237 plants)

GardenCoop members unlock full growing details for every plant below. View membership plans to access planting times, soil requirements, zone-specific tips, and more for all 237 entries.

Flower

Alyssum (Sweet)
Aster
Bachelor's Button
Black-eyed Susan
Bleeding Heart
Celosia
Cleome
Columbine
Coreopsis
Cosmos
Daffodil
Dahlia
Delphinium
Dianthus (Pinks)
Foxglove
Gladiolus
Hollyhock
Impatiens
Iris (Bearded)
Larkspur
Lily (Asiatic/Oriental)
Lobelia (Annual)
Lupine
Marigold
Nigella
Peony
Petunia
Phlox (Perennial)
Russian Sage
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Shasta Daisy
Snapdragon
Sweet Pea
Tulip
Verbena
Zinnia

Fruit

Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana
Blackberry
Blackcurrant
Blueberry
Boysenberry
Cantaloupe
Cherry (Sour)
Cherry (Sweet)
Citrus
Cranberry
Currant (Red)
Fig
Goji Berry
Gooseberry
Grape
Ground Cherry
Guava
Hardy Kiwi
Honeyberry (Haskap)
Jujube
Kiwi
Kumquat
Lemon
Loquat
Mango
Melon (Watermelon)
Mulberry
Nectarine
Olive
Papaya
Pawpaw
Peach
Pear
Persimmon
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Raspberry
Sea Buckthorn
Serviceberry
Strawberry

Grain/Vegetable

Amaranth
Buckwheat
Corn
Quinoa
Sunflower

Greens

Arugula
Bok Choy
Chicory
Collard Greens
Endive
Kale
Lettuce
Malabar Spinach
Mustard Greens
New Zealand Spinach
Orach
Purslane
Sorrel
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Watercress

Herb

Anise
Bay Laurel
Borage
Caraway
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Fennel
Garlic Chives
Lavender
Lemon Verbena
Lemongrass
Lovage
Marjoram
Mint
Nasturtium
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Shiso (Perilla)
Stevia
Sweet Cicely
Sweet Woodruff
Tarragon (French)
Thyme

Medicinal Herb

Agrimony
Aloe Vera
Anise Hyssop
Ashwagandha
Astragalus
Bee Balm
Black Cohosh
Blue Vervain
Calendula
California Poppy
Catnip
Chamomile (German)
Chickweed
Cleavers
Comfrey
Dandelion
Echinacea
Elderberry
Elecampane
Fenugreek
Feverfew
Ginger
Goldenrod
Goldenseal
Gotu Kola
Hawthorn
Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Hops
Horehound
Hyssop
Lemon Balm
Licorice Root
Marshmallow Root
Meadowsweet
Milk Thistle
Motherwort
Mugwort
Mullein
Nettles (Stinging)
Oat Straw
Oregon Grape
Passionflower
Pennyroyal
Peppermint
Plantain (Herb)
Red Clover
Rose
Self-Heal (Prunella)
Skullcap
Spearmint
St. John's Wort
Tansy
Turmeric
Valerian
Violet
White Sage
Wild Bergamot
Witch Hazel
Wood Sorrel
Wormwood
Yarrow

Nut

Chestnut
Hazelnut
Pecan
Walnut (Black)

Root Vegetable

Beet
Burdock
Carrot
Horseradish
Jerusalem Artichoke
Jicama
Parsnip
Potato
Radish
Rutabaga
Salsify
Sweet Potato
Taro
Turnip

Vegetable

Artichoke (Globe)
Asparagus
Beans (Bush)
Beans (Pole)
Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chili Pepper
Cucumber
Edamame (Soybean)
Eggplant
Garlic
Hot Pepper
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lima Bean
Okra
Pea
Pumpkin
Rhubarb
Shallot
Squash (Summer)
Squash (Winter)
Tomatillo
Zucchini

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