Find zone-specific plant recommendations and frost date guidance based on USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 1–13. Enter your ZIP code to get tailored advice for what grows best in your area.
The USDA hardiness zone system divides North America into 13 zones based on average annual minimum winter temperatures. Knowing your zone helps you choose plants that will thrive in your local climate.
The Garden Cooperative members get access to a full catalog of 237 vegetables, fruits, herbs, medicinal herbs, and grains — including 234 premium entries — with detailed zone-specific planting tips, soil requirements, and frost date guidance.
Free Preview: Sample Plant Entries
Basil
Category: Herb — Season: Warm season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11
Sunlight: Full Sun — Water: Moderate
Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained loam, pH 6.0–7.0
Planting Time: Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost. Transplant only when nights are reliably above 50°F. Any frost kills it instantly.
Growing Tips: Pinch off flower spikes as soon as they appear — this doubles your leaf harvest period. Grow near tomatoes to repel aphids and whiteflies. Thai basil is more heat-tolerant than Genovese. Harvest in the morning for highest essential oil concentration. Never refrigerate fresh basil — it blackens.
Onion
Category: Vegetable — Season: Cool season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10
Sunlight: Full Sun — Water: Moderate
Soil: Rich, loose, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.0
Planting Time: Plant sets or transplants in early spring (4–6 weeks before last frost). Long-day varieties for zones 6 and north; short-day for zones 7 and south.
Growing Tips: Day length determines bulb initiation — choose the correct type for your latitude. Harvest when 50–75% of tops have fallen and begun to dry. Cure in a single layer with good air circulation for 2–4 weeks before storage. Onion maggots are the primary soil pest — use row covers. 'Copra' is the best keeper (stores 6+ months); 'Walla Walla' is the sweetest but stores poorly.
Tomato
Category: Vegetable — Season: Warm season — Hardiness Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11
Planting Time: Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost. Transplant 1–2 weeks after last frost when nights consistently stay above 50°F. Soil temperature should reach 60°F.
Growing Tips: Plant deeply — bury stem up to first true leaves, forming adventitious roots along the buried stem for a stronger plant. Consistent watering (avoid wet-dry cycles) prevents blossom end rot and cracking. Rotate planting location every 3–4 years to prevent soilborne diseases. Determinate types ('Roma', 'Celebrity') set all fruit at once; indeterminate types ('Cherokee Purple', 'Sungold') produce continuously until frost.