Spring is just three weeks away and in most of the U.S. you can now start your vegetable garden seedlings indoors. Also, if you stock up now you can find seeds and more supplies on sale.
Spring for 2026 is March 20 – June 21.
If you like to garden from scratch, with seeds, you’ll want to get your seeds soon and start them indoors before planting outside.
The optimum time to start seedlings indoors, and then to transplant outdoors, all depends on where you live. Before planting, check the Old Farmers Almanac for the prime times to plant your tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables.
The Old Farmers Almanac’s free online calendar uses historical frost dates and moon phases to advise gardeners on when to start seeds indoors and when to plant outdoors. Just enter your zip code to get suggested planting dates for Cantaloupes, Corn, Cucumbers, Tomatoes and other vegetables.
You can find the planting calendar at:
Old Farmer’s Almanac Planting Calendar
If you live in a warm-weather state, your time to start outdoor plants is coming soon or already here. For example, if you’re in the mid-South, like Raleigh, NC (zip code 27617), you can plant your tomato seeds indoors starting in mid-February, and then plant them outdoors starting on April 20. If you’re in Buffalo, NY (zip code 14201), you should wait till around March 12 to start your seedlings outdoors, with outdoor planting not till May 21.
More Online Gardening Tools
- Read more about gardening at: Farmers Almanac Gardening Planner
- You may find soil temperature a good indicator of when to plant outdoors. You can find your area’s soil temperature at Greencast Online, a website for lawn professionals.
- Free online garden plans are available from Gardeners Supply.
Seeds and More on Sale
Burpee’s Seeds often has sales on plants, seeds and gardening equipment.
You’ll find the latest specials at the top of the Burpee’s website and on the Burpee’s Facebook Page.
For shipping rates, see: Burpee’s Shipping Rates
Gardening Guides
Burpee’s Seeds offers free planting advice and gardening guides.
Start with the Burpee’s home page or the interactive Burpee’s Catalog. Burpee Seeds, founded in Pennsylvania in 1876, is one of the oldest and best-known seed companies in the USA. Burpee also provides these free resources
Breck’s also provides gardening guides at: Breck’s Gardening Guide
What Are the Easiest Vegetables to Grow?
The 10 easiest vegetables to grow yourself, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, are:
- Lettuce
- Green Beans
- Peas
- Radishes
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Kale
- Swiss Chard
- Beets
- Summer Squash.
For tips on a successful vegetable garden, visit: 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home
Notably absent from the Easiest list are tomatoes, which are the most popular home garden plant but can be tough to keep healthy and productive. You especially need to beware of planting before the risk of frost has passed.
“In most regions, the soil is not warm enough to plant tomatoes outdoors until late spring and early summer except in zone 10, where they are a fall and winter crop,” says the Farmers Almanac. Read more at: Planting Tomatoes
More About Farmers Almanac
For more information see these free growing guides for most herbs and vegetables
Below are the latest posts from the Farmers Almanac Facebook Page.