Maryland vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Maryland, the average last spring frost is March 27 in Annapolis and March 24 in Baltimore (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Annapolis and Baltimore for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Maryland, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Annapolis
When to plant tomatoes in Annapolis?
In Annapolis, Maryland, the average last spring frost is March 27 and the average first fall frost is November 13 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, ANNAPOLIS POLICE BRKS station, 4 km from ZIP 21401). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 1 to May 7 and plant out seedlings April 9 to August 15, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Annapolis (21401)
- Last spring frost: Mar 27 on average, Apr 9 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 13 on average, Nov 1 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 12 to Mar 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 8 to Mar 17 Plant out seedlings: Feb 26 to Mar 12 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 1 to Feb 28 Plant out seedlings: Feb 26 to Mar 12 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 12 to Mar 26 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 15 to Mar 17 Plant out seedlings: Mar 12 to Mar 26 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 14 to Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 23 to Sep 4 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 18 to Apr 16 Plant out seedlings: Apr 23 to Aug 15 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 26 to Mar 12 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Feb 26 to Mar 12 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 12 to Mar 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Apr 23 to Aug 5 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Apr 23 to Sep 9 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 26 to Mar 12 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Feb 26 to Mar 12 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 1 to Mar 31 Plant out seedlings: Apr 23 to Aug 15 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Feb 26 to Mar 12 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Sep 14 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Feb 26 to Mar 12 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 23 to Sep 14 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Aug 15 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 1 to Apr 30 Plant out slips: Apr 23 to Jul 6 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 1 to May 7 Plant out seedlings: Apr 9 to Aug 15 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Apr 23 to Aug 5 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Apr 30 to Jul 30 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Jan 31 to Mar 30 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 21 to Oct 5 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 15 to Mar 30 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 20 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 18 to Apr 16 Plant outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Oct 5 |
Baltimore
When to plant tomatoes in Baltimore?
In Baltimore, Maryland, the average last spring frost is March 24 and the average first fall frost is November 21 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, MD SCI CTR BALTIMORE station, 1.8 km from ZIP 21202). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors February 26 to May 4 and plant out seedlings April 4 to August 23, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Baltimore (21202)
- Last spring frost: Mar 24 on average, Apr 4 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 21 on average, Nov 7 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 8a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 5 to Mar 14 Plant out seedlings: Feb 21 to Mar 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Jan 29 to Feb 25 Plant out seedlings: Feb 21 to Mar 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 12 to Mar 14 Plant out seedlings: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 22 to Aug 21 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Sep 12 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 15 to Apr 13 Plant out seedlings: Apr 18 to Aug 23 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 21 to Mar 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Feb 21 to Mar 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Aug 13 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Apr 18 to Sep 17 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 21 to Mar 7 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Feb 21 to Mar 7 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Feb 26 to Mar 28 Plant out seedlings: Apr 18 to Aug 23 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Feb 21 to Mar 7 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 4 to Sep 22 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Feb 21 to Mar 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Sep 22 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 4 to Aug 23 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Mar 29 to Apr 27 Plant out slips: Apr 18 to Jul 14 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Feb 26 to May 4 Plant out seedlings: Apr 4 to Aug 23 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Aug 13 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Apr 27 to Jul 27 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Jan 28 to Mar 27 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 29 to Oct 13 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 12 to Mar 27 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 14 to Sep 28 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 15 to Apr 13 Plant outdoors for fall: Aug 14 to Oct 13 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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