What Can Grow in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a humid subtropical climate transitioning to continental in the east. Nashville is Zone 7a; the Appalachians are Zone 6a-6b. Long productive growing seasons.
📅 Planting Calendar for Tennessee
When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.
| Plant | Start Indoors | Transplant Out | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | May 4 – May 29 |
| 🥦 Artichoke | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | Jun 8 – Jun 23 |
| 🥬 Arugula | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 24 |
| ❤️ Beets | — | — | Mar 15 | May 4 – May 24 |
| 🫑 Bell Pepper | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | May 24 – Jun 13 |
| 🥬 Bok Choy | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | Apr 29 – May 14 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 14 – Jun 3 |
| 🫛 Brussels Sprouts | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | Jun 13 – Sep 11 |
| 🥬 Cabbage | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 24 – Jul 13 |
| 🥕 Carrot | — | — | Mar 15 | May 24 – Jun 3 |
| 🥔 Celeriac | Jan 4 | Mar 15 | — | Jul 3 – Jul 13 |
| 🍒 Cherry Tomato | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 9 – May 24 |
| 🌶️ Chili Pepper | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | May 19 – Jun 3 |
| 🥬 Collard Greens | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | May 14 – Jun 3 |
| 🌽 Corn | — | — | Mar 15 | May 14 – Jun 13 |
| 🥒 Cucumber | Feb 22 | Mar 15 | — | May 4 – May 24 |
| 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) | — | — | Mar 15 | May 24 – Jun 18 |
| 🍆 Eggplant | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | May 19 – Jun 3 |
| 🫘 Fava Beans | — | — | Mar 15 | Jun 3 – Jun 23 |
| 🌿 Florence Fennel | — | — | Mar 15 | May 19 – Jun 13 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Jun – Jul (following year) |
| 🫘 Green Beans | — | — | Mar 15 | May 4 – May 19 |
| 🍬 Ground Cherry | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 24 – Jun 8 |
| 🥬 Kale | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | May 9 – May 29 |
| 🥬 Kohlrabi | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | Apr 29 – May 14 |
| 🧅 Leek | Jan 1 | Mar 15 | — | Jun 23 – Aug 12 |
| 🥬 Lettuce | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 14 – May 14 |
| 🌱 Microgreens | — | — | Mar 15 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 |
| 🥬 Mustard Greens | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 14 – Apr 24 |
| 🧅 Onion | Jan 18 | Mar 15 | — | Jun 13 – Jul 13 |
| 🥕 Parsnip | — | — | Mar 15 | Jun 23 – Jul 23 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Mar 15 | May 9 – May 24 |
| 🥔 Potato | — | — | Mar 15 | May 24 – Jul 13 |
| 🎃 Pumpkin | Feb 22 | Mar 15 | — | May 29 – Jun 23 |
| 🔴 Radish | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 6 – Apr 14 |
| 🥔 Rutabaga | — | — | Mar 15 | Jun 13 – Jun 28 |
| 🫛 Snap Peas | — | — | Mar 15 | May 14 – May 24 |
| 🥬 Spinach | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 24 – May 4 |
| 🍠 Sweet Potato | — | — | Mar 15 | Jun 13 – Jul 13 |
| 🥬 Swiss Chard | — | — | Mar 15 | May 4 – May 14 |
| 🫑 Tomatillo | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 29 – Jun 23 |
| 🍅 Tomato | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 14 – Jun 8 |
| 🫛 Turnip | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 29 – May 14 |
| 🥬 Zucchini | Feb 22 | Mar 15 | — | Apr 29 – May 14 |
| 🌿 Basil | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | Apr 14 – May 14 |
| 💙 Borage | — | — | Mar 15 | May 4 – May 14 |
| 🌿 Cilantro | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 29 |
| 🌿 Dill | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 24 – May 14 |
| 🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) | — | — | Mar 15 | Apr 4 – Apr 14 |
| 🌿 French Tarragon | — | — | Mar 15 | May 14 – Jun 13 |
| 🌼 German Chamomile | — | — | Mar 15 | May 14 – Jun 13 |
| 🍃 Lemon Balm | Feb 1 | Mar 15 | — | May 14 – May 24 |
| 🌿 Parsley | — | — | Mar 15 | May 24 – Jun 13 |
| 🍉 Watermelon | Feb 15 | Mar 15 | — | May 24 – Jun 13 |
| 🌻 Sunflower | — | — | Mar 15 | May 14 – Jun 3 |
Dates are averages based on Zone 6b frost dates (last frost: mid-March, first frost: mid-November). Adjust for your specific microclimate.
🥦 Vegetables
- 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) EasyContainer OK
- 🥦 Artichoke
- 🥬 Arugula EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Asparagus
- ❤️ Beets EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Bell Pepper Container OK
- 🥬 Bok Choy EasyContainer OK
- 🥦 Broccoli Container OK
- 🫛 Brussels Sprouts
- 🥬 Cabbage Container OK
- 🥕 Carrot Container OK
- 🥔 Celeriac
- 🍒 Cherry Tomato EasyContainer OK
- 🌶️ Chili Pepper EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Collard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🌽 Corn
- 🥒 Cucumber EasyContainer OK
- 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) EasyContainer OK
- 🍆 Eggplant Container OK
- 🫘 Fava Beans
- 🌿 Florence Fennel Container OK
- 🧄 Garlic EasyContainer OK
- 🫘 Green Beans EasyContainer OK
- 🍬 Ground Cherry EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kale EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kohlrabi EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Leek Container OK
- 🥬 Lettuce EasyContainer OK
- 🌱 Microgreens Easy
- 🥬 Mustard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Onion Container OK
- 🥕 Parsnip
- 🫛 Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Potato EasyContainer OK
- 🎃 Pumpkin EasyContainer OK
- 🔴 Radish EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Rhubarb EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Rutabaga Easy
- 🫛 Snap Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Spinach EasyContainer OK
- 🍠 Sweet Potato Container OK
- 🥬 Swiss Chard EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Tomatillo Container OK
- 🍅 Tomato Container OK
- 🫛 Turnip EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Zucchini EasyContainer OK
🍓 Fruits
🌿 Herbs
⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)
These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.
🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Zone 6 is shown in
this colour
on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service
USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →
Browse Related Zones
Frequently Asked Questions
Tennessee has a humid subtropical climate transitioning to continental in the east. Nashville is Zone 7a; the Appalachians are Zone 6a-6b. Long productive growing seasons. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets all grow well here.
With 244 frost-free days, you can grow two cool-season crops per year — one in spring (plant after mid-March) and one in late summer for fall harvest before mid-November.
Top vegetables for Tennessee: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Tennessee. Zone 6b is suitable for most temperate fruits.
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