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What Can Grow in Zone 3b?

Growing Zone Zone 3b
Frost-Free Days 153
Last Frost early May
First Frost early October

Cold winters with a growing season of about 5 months. Most common vegetables grow with proper timing. Early indoor starts are essential.

Find your exact zone:

📅 Planting Calendar for Zone 3b

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🥬 Arugula — — May 1 May 22 – Jun 10
❤️ Beets — — May 1 Jun 20 – Jul 10
🥦 Broccoli Mar 20 May 1 — Jun 30 – Jul 20
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Mar 6 May 1 — Jul 30 – Oct 28
🥬 Cabbage Mar 20 May 1 — Jul 10 – Aug 29
🥕 Carrot — — May 1 Jul 10 – Jul 20
🥔 Celeriac Feb 20 May 1 — Aug 19 – Aug 29
🌽 Corn — — May 1 Jun 30 – Jul 30
🥒 Cucumber Apr 10 May 1 — Jun 20 – Jul 10
🫘 Fava Beans — — May 1 Jul 20 – Aug 9
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🍬 Ground Cherry Mar 20 May 1 — Jul 10 – Jul 25
🥬 Kale Apr 3 May 1 — Jun 25 – Jul 15
🥬 Kohlrabi Apr 3 May 1 — Jun 15 – Jun 30
🧅 Leek Feb 6 May 1 — Aug 9 – Sep 28
🥬 Lettuce — — May 1 May 31 – Jun 30
🌱 Microgreens — — May 1 May 8 – May 22
🧅 Onion Mar 6 May 1 — Jul 30 – Aug 29
🥕 Parsnip — — May 1 Aug 9 – Sep 8
🫛 Peas — — May 1 Jun 25 – Jul 10
🥔 Potato — — May 1 Jul 10 – Aug 29
🎃 Pumpkin Apr 10 May 1 — Jul 15 – Aug 9
🔴 Radish — — May 1 May 23 – May 31
🥔 Rutabaga — — May 1 Jul 30 – Aug 14
🫛 Snap Peas — — May 1 Jun 30 – Jul 10
🥬 Spinach — — May 1 Jun 10 – Jun 20
🥬 Swiss Chard — — May 1 Jun 20 – Jun 30
🫛 Turnip — — May 1 Jun 15 – Jun 30
💙 Borage — — May 1 Jun 20 – Jun 30
🌿 Cilantro — — May 1 May 22 – Jun 15
🌿 Dill — — May 1 Jun 10 – Jun 30
🌿 French Tarragon — — May 1 Jun 30 – Jul 30
🌼 German Chamomile — — May 1 Jun 30 – Jul 30
🍃 Lemon Balm Mar 20 May 1 — Jun 30 – Jul 10
🌿 Parsley — — May 1 Jul 10 – Jul 30
🌻 Sunflower — — May 1 Jun 30 – Jul 20

Dates are averages based on Zone 3b frost dates (last frost: early May, first frost: early October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 3 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

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

Zone 1b Zone 2a Zone 2b Zone 3a Zone 3b Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b

Frequently Asked Questions

Cold winters with a growing season of about 5 months. Most common vegetables grow with proper timing. Early indoor starts are essential. Vegetables like Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts all grow well here.
You have about 153 frost-free days. Start warm-season crops indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost (early May) and transplant after that date.
Top vegetables for Zone 3b: Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts. For beginners, Arugula and Beets are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blueberry, Elderberry, Gooseberry all grow well in Zone 3b. Zone 3b is suitable for most temperate fruits.