Calling All Green Thumbs: Your 2025 Georgia Planting Playbook!
Cultivating Success In Your Garden
The new year is here, and for many of us, it brings a renewed sense of anticipation for the vibrant growing season ahead. If you're eager to cultivate more of your own food, herbs, and medicinal plants in 2025, our annual planting guide is designed to help you achieve a bountiful harvest.
This guide focuses on planting recommendations for USDA Hardiness Zones 8b and 9a, common throughout much of Georgia.
January through March: Kicking Off Your Spring Garden
As the weather begins to transition, it's an ideal time to lay the groundwork for your spring crops.
Direct Sowing:
February: Consider direct sowing arugula, cabbage, carrots, collards, English peas, potatoes, and turnips.
March: Continue with arugula, carrots, English peas, potatoes, and turnips, and add cantaloupe and corn to your direct sowing list.
Germinating Indoors:
February: Get a head start on your greens by germinating kale, lettuce, mustards, and other leafy greens indoors. These can be transplanted outdoors in late February or early March.
March: Begin indoor germination for warmer-season crops such as cucumber, eggplant, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, and watermelon, preparing them for transplanting in late March or early April.
Transplanting:
January: This is your last opportunity to transplant Vidalia or Granex onions for the season.
February through March: "Tree time" is upon us! This period is excellent for transplanting fruit and nut trees, including apples, blueberries, figs, native grapes (muscadine), jujube, peaches, pecans, persimmons, plums, and walnuts.
Please note: While this guide provides a general framework based on historical weather patterns, we highly recommend consulting your local weather forecast and a Farmer's Almanac. Adjusting your planting schedule to current conditions will significantly improve your success. The UGA Extension Office also serves as an invaluable local resource.
April through June: The Heart of the Growing Season
With warmer temperatures firmly established, these months are prime time for a wide variety of crops.
Direct Sowing:
April: Direct sow arugula, snap beans, carrots, corn, kale and other leafy greens, okra, potatoes, soybeans, and turnips.
May: Focus on direct sowing snap beans, corn, kale and other leafy greens, okra, field peas, and soybeans.
June: Continue with snap beans, field peas, and soybeans, and also direct sow summer squash and watermelon.
Germinating Indoors:
April: This month is suitable for germinating winter squash indoors, with an eye towards transplanting them between May and June.
Transplanting:
April: Get busy transplanting your warm-season favorites: cantaloupe, cucumber, eggplant, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, and watermelon.
May through June: Plant your sweet potato slips in May for a November harvest. Winter squash can also be transplanted now for a fall harvest.
July through September: Preparing for Fall and Winter
As summer progresses, you can start planning for your fall and winter gardens.
Direct Sowing:
July: While challenging for small seedlings due to summer heat, some growers find success direct sowing snap beans and soybeans during this month.
September: Direct sow arugula, cabbage, carrots, collards, kale and other leafy greens, and turnips for a delicious fall and winter harvest.
Germinating Indoors:
September: If outdoor conditions are not ideal for direct sowing, consider starting arugula, cabbage, collards, kale, and other leafy greens indoors for transplanting once seedlings are ready.
Transplanting:
September: Transplant arugula, cabbage, collards, kale, and other leafy greens if you are not starting them from seed.
October through December: Winter Preparations and Beyond
These months offer opportunities for cool-season crops and another round of tree planting.
Direct Sowing:
October through November: Direct sow arugula, kale, and other leafy greens.
Germinating Indoors:
October: If direct sowing isn't feasible, start cabbage indoors for transplanting as soon as the seedlings are robust.
Transplanting:
October through November: It's "tree time" again, with the added bonus of strawberries! Transplant apples, blueberries, figs, native grapes (muscadine), jujube, peaches, pecans, persimmons, plums, strawberries, and walnuts.
November through December: Transplant Vidalia or Granex onions for a spring harvest.
Dig In, Georgia!
We hope this 2025 Georgia Planting Guide inspires you to get your hands dirty and enjoy the incredibly rewarding experience of growing your own food, herbs, and medicinals. Remember, gardening is a journey of learning and discovery. Don't be afraid to experiment, observe your plants closely, and adjust your plans as needed. Here's to a flourishing year in your Georgia garden! Happy planting!