Question
Hi there - I live in Charlotte, NC - and I am anxious to get my baby plants into the soil. Is it too early to start?
I am planting various leafy herbs & greens...and will start seeding my various squash soon. What is the best timeline for this area of the country?
Thanks!

Answer
Crystal, I am attaching two websites that will give you planting times for every vegetable and a zone chart for your last frost date.

The general rule of thumb is to plant most vegetables 1-2 weeks after your last expected frost date. In Charlotte, this is normally April 15th. Therefore, you can start transplanting the last weekend in April.

Hardy vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and broccoli, can be planted 2-4 weeks prior to your last frost. These plants will survive a light frost.

On the other hand, non-hardy plants such as squash, corn, and cucumbers, should be delayed an extra 1-2 weeks past the last frost date due to their high sensitivity to cold and frost.

These charts outline every vegetable and when they should be planted based on your area of the country.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/hardiness.htm

http://www.victoryseeds.com/information/plantingdates.html

Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike