To successfully grow vegetables in the Mid - Atlantic Department of State of Maryland , consider the temperature want of the crops you want to imbed and the distance of the growing season in your region . The growing time of year is prescribe by the number of freeze - destitute days in the yr , which diverge within Maryland , as it sweep several develop zones , specifically USDA hardiness zones 5a to 8a .

In some cases , you may need to start seeds indoors in Maryland for extend the develop season .

Cool-Weather vs. Warm-Weather Vegetables

When it come up to temperature requirements , vegetables fall into two family : nerveless - season and ardent - season vegetables .

Cool - conditions vegetables produce the best crop when they grow during cool weather . fond season vegetables , on the other bridge player , execute best during hot weather and can be offend or kill by the frigidity . Even warm - season veggie , however , will stop producing if temperatures climb too high .

Both types of vegetable can be grown in Maryland .

A woman working in the soil of a vegetable garden.

What Seasons to Grow Common Vegetables in Maryland

Frost Dates and Planting Schedule

Most vegetables , even some that are cool - weather crops , can be injured or killed by frost . Therefore , it is of import to have intercourse when to expect the last hoar of the spring and the first frost of the fall , which determine the duration of the growing season and when you should plant and harvest crops .

know which of Maryland ’s USDA plant hardiness zones you are located in will give you a sensory faculty of when you may expect last and first frosts . However , the specific date can vary considerably from one twelvemonth to the next base on local consideration .

Starting source indoors make it potential to extend the grow time of year .

Direct Seeding vs. Transplants

dedicate the length of the cool - atmospheric condition and warm - weather condition growing seasons in Maryland , some crops are well set about indoors and transplant into the garden when conditions are ripe . start seed indoors makes it potential to extend the growing time of year .

you may also choose to purchase transplants from a greenhouse rather than starting them yourself .

Other vegetables can be directly seeded into the flat coat in Maryland when the clip is right . Many of these crops do not graft well . They include cucumbers , leeks and okra .

Warm-Weather Vegetables

When to Plant Peppers in Maryland

white pepper are very frost - tender vegetables . Therefore , according to the University of Maryland Extension vegetable planting calendar , you ’ll want to pop out capsicum pepper plant seed indoors in February through other April and transplant them into the garden sometime in May , once frost is no longer a fear and soil temperature are above 65 ° F .

When to Plant Zucchini in Maryland

While you may start zucchini seed indoors in Maryland as you may peppers , this is an example of a vegetable that can be instantly seed into the garden in the spring after the last rime appointment has pass .

Zucchini take just about two months to mature after planting , therefore you’re able to choose to sow a second harvest in other July for a belated summertime harvest .

Cool-Weather Vegetables

In the case of cool - weather vegetable , starting ejaculate indoors makes it potential to harvest these crops before temperatures get too fond . Some coolheaded - weather condition vegetables can be engraft in the spring for a summer harvest and again in late summertime for a fall harvest .

When to Plant Cabbage in Maryland

If you are enquire when to plant cabbage in Maryland , for example , the solution depend on the season .

For a spring crop , start up cabbage seeds indoors from mid - February through mid - March and transfer them into the garden about a calendar month later . For a fall crop , start the seeds indoors from mid - June through mid - July and move them outdoors sometime from mid - July through mid - August .

When to Plant Onions in Maryland

Bulb onion require 85 to 120 days to reach adulthood , which is why normally just a spring harvest is viable in Maryland . Start onions as seedlings indoors in February and transfer them into the garden in April .

Tip

Bulb onion are categorized based on how many hour of sun a day they take to produce a incandescent lamp . Long day cultivars that need 15 to 16 hours of sunshine a day execute considerably in Maryland than short day cultivars .

recurrent onions , also known as multiplier onions , are typically planted in the fall in Maryland .

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