My Planting Calendar

What to plant in October in zone 7

USDA zone 7 has winter lows of 0 to 10°F, a typical last spring frost around Apr 5 and first fall frost around Oct 25, roughly 200 frost-free days. October is the "fall garden season" there.

1 crop has a sowing or planting window this month: shallot.

Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 7 (last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 25). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.

Fall garden seasonSow or plant: 1Start indoors: 0Harvesting: 37

Zone 7: planting activity through the year

8
39
70
84
41
10
18
38
18
1
2
0
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: Apr 5 – Oct 25
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 1 have one in October; the busiest month is April (84).

For fall and winter harvests (1)

Sowings counted back from zone 7's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.

CropWhat to doWindowThis month
ShallotPlant in fall (after first frost)Oct 29 – Nov 15Opens Oct 29

Harvesting in October

First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.

Zucchini / Summer Squash · Sep 6 – Oct 8Cucumber · Sep 11 – Oct 18Broccoli · Sep 14 – Oct 26Cauliflower · Sep 14 – Oct 31Cabbage · Sep 14 – Nov 10Bush Bean · Sep 18 – Oct 15Kale · Sep 18 – Oct 20Lettuce · Sep 19 – Nov 5Brussels Sprouts · Sep 23 – Nov 9Bok Choy / Pak Choi · Sep 24 – Oct 26Mizuna · Sep 24 – Oct 21Swiss Chard · Sep 25 – Oct 22Napa Cabbage · Sep 25 – Nov 6Mustard Greens · Sep 26 – Oct 28Fennel (Bulb) · Sep 26 – Nov 7Cilantro / Coriander · Sep 27 – Nov 8Carrot · Sep 28 – Nov 4Radicchio · Sep 28 – Nov 24Dill · Sep 29 – Nov 5Rapini (Broccoli Raab) · Sep 29 – Nov 5Pea · Sep 30 – Nov 1Collard Greens · Sep 30 – Nov 6Tatsoi · Oct 1 – Nov 2Beet · Oct 2 – Nov 8Radish · Oct 2 – Oct 27Spinach · Oct 3 – Oct 28Arugula · Oct 3 – Oct 30Kohlrabi · Oct 4 – Nov 5Mache (Corn Salad) · Oct 4 – Nov 5Turnip · Oct 6 – Nov 12Chervil · Oct 6 – Nov 12Rutabaga · Oct 7 – Nov 3Borage · Oct 14 – Nov 20Parsley · Oct 15 – Nov 21Green Onion / Scallion · Oct 19 – Nov 25Watercress · Oct 23 – Nov 19Endive & Escarole · Oct 30 – Dec 1

Fall garden season: October garden jobs in zone 7

  1. The average first frost is October 25, about 1 weeks away. Pick tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans) before it, or cover them on cold nights.
  2. Still time to sow or plant: shallot. Fast greens and radishes are the safest bets this late.
  3. Row cover buys 4-6°F of frost protection and weeks of extra harvest - see season extension.
  4. Pull finished crops and sow a cover crop (cereal rye or crimson clover) into empty beds before the soil gets cold.

Questions gardeners ask

What can I plant in zone 7 in October?

1 crops have a window in October: shallot. The tables above give the exact dates for each.

When are the last and first frost in zone 7?

The typical last spring frost is around Apr 5 and the first fall frost around Oct 25. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.

What can I harvest in zone 7 in October?

From plantings made on time: zucchini / summer squash, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bush bean, kale, lettuce, brussels sprouts, bok choy / pak choi.

October in states with land in zone 7

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisKansasKentucky

Zone 7 in other months

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberNovemberZone 7 overview →

What to plant in October in other zones

Zone 3Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6Zone 8Zone 9Zone 10All states →

Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.