To get the most out of your vegetable garden, it's essential to plant at the right time. This time frame differs from one vegetable to another, and it also depends on whether you're planting directly outside or transferring seedlings. Here's what you need to know so you can time your planting and buy the garden supplies you need.

Your Zone

The U.S. is divided into different planting zones depending on the usual lowest temperature in the area each year. Identify your local zone to determine when the weather will be warm enough to plant. Most of Ohio is in the 6a category, with parts in the 5b or 6b range. This means that the lowest temperature is usually between 0 and -15 degrees. You can expect the last frost in mid to late April in this zone.

Cool Season

Cool season vegetables can be planted up to a month before the last frost. Potatoes, broccoli, carrots, garlic, radishes, lettuce, and cabbage are all cool season vegetables. Most plants that produce edible roots, stems, or leaves are also in this group, so you can begin planting as early as late March.

Warm Season

If a plant produces edible fruits, it is more likely to be a warm season vegetable, and it needs to be planted after soil temperatures rise to about 50 degrees. These include tomatoes, peppers, and okra. To get an early start on the growing season, you can buy garden supplies like seed trays and start these seedlings indoors, then transfer them outside when it gets warm enough, which is at least two weeks after the last frost.

If you need garden supplies for this year's vegetable crop, visit Bethel Feed & Supply Pet & Garden Center in Ohio. For over 160 years, they have been Clermont County's go-to source for garden supplies, horse feed, and livestock and pet supplies. Their knowledgeable team understands the needs of modern farmers and will grind and mix feed exactly the way you want it. For questions, call (513) 734-2246, and visit them online to learn more about their gardening inventory.