Sowing the Right Seeds for Your Garden Zone (and Mine!)

Put a finger down if you’ve planted a row of lettuce only to realize it was doomed to crisp up before it sprouted. puts a finger down
If you’re with me on this, you’re not alone.

Picking the right seeds for your garden zone is like choosing shoes for the right season—you wouldn’t wear flip-flops in a snowstorm, right? The first step is to figure out where you’re growing. Just pop your ZIP code into this handy zone lookup tool and watch the magic happen. Knowing your zone gives you the planting “rulebook”—the basic timetable nature expects you to follow.

In my neck of the woods, zone 5b (80504), our last spring frost usually hits around mid-May. That means if you want juicy tomatoes or crunchy bell peppers, you’ll want to start seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before that. That’s my plan anyways.

For a mid-May planting, start those seeds in late March. That gives them a comfy indoor childhood before they graduate to the big, bright world of your garden. By the time the frost threat passes, you’ve got strong seedlings ready to sprout into summer glory. Just remember: The right seeds at the right time is a game-changer—no more frosty fates for your hard work. :)