When to plant winter squash
Direct-sow winter squash 2 weeks after your last spring frost.. Enter your ZIP below for exact dates.
The rule
Direct-sow or set out 2 weeks after the last frost. [src]Cited: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”
Start indoors 3–4 weeks before setting out. [src]Cited: Johnny's Selected Seeds — Seed-Starting Date Calculator chart
Days to maturity: 85–120 days [src]
Method: Start indoors or direct-sow. Frost tolerance: frost-tender (derived from the planting timing above).
Winter Squash is frost-tender; it's grown as a spring/summer crop.
Winter Squash planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant / sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10a | January 1 – January 8 | January 22 – February 5 | — |
| Zone 10b | January 6 – January 13 | January 27 – February 10 | — |
| Zone 2a | May 3 – May 10 | May 24 – June 7 | — |
| Zone 2b | May 11 – May 18 | June 1 – June 15 | — |
| Zone 3b | May 6 – May 13 | May 27 – June 10 | — |
| Zone 4a | April 30 – May 7 | May 21 – June 4 | — |
| Zone 4b | April 26 – May 3 | May 17 – May 31 | — |
| Zone 5a | April 28 – May 5 | May 19 – June 2 | — |
| Zone 5b | April 20 – April 27 | May 11 – May 25 | — |
| Zone 6a | April 16 – April 23 | May 7 – May 21 | — |
| Zone 6b | April 9 – April 16 | April 30 – May 14 | — |
| Zone 7a | April 1 – April 8 | April 22 – May 6 | — |
| Zone 7b | March 23 – March 30 | April 13 – April 27 | — |
| Zone 8a | March 12 – March 19 | April 2 – April 16 | — |
| Zone 8b | March 2 – March 9 | March 23 – April 6 | — |
| Zone 9a | February 16 – February 23 | March 9 – March 23 | — |
| Zone 9b | January 19 – January 26 | February 9 – February 23 | — |
What you'll need
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Last verified 2026-07-16. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.