What to plant this week in Rochester, NY
With the last frost date in Rochester officially set for April 21, gardeners can finally breathe easy as the city's lingering chill gives way to true spring warmth. This week marks a critical transition where early cold-tender crops like Basil and Okra are ready to move from starts to your raised beds or containers on the south side of the city.
The next 7 days
Rochester, NYGrowing in Rochester right now
- Rochester's clay-heavy soils tend to stay wet longer in spring; ensure drainage holes are clear before planting warm-season treasures like Cantaloupe and Watermelon this week.
- Take advantage of our distinct seasonal rhythm by immediately transplanting Garlic now if you missed the fall window, as it needs several months to establish before Rochester's harsh winter sets in.
- Utilize your south-facing slopes or sunny patios for heat-loving edibles; these microclimates allow you to harvest Zucchini and Summer Squash weeks earlier than average zone 6b locations.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
45 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Keep a close eye on pollinator-friendly flowers like Cosmos and Zinnia to ensure good seed set.
- Harvest bush beans and cucumbers frequently to encourage continued production throughout summer.
- Protect young transplants from late spring chill with row covers if an unexpected cold snap occurs.
- Plan succession sowing for cool-season crops now so they are ready as the weather cools in October.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites often surge on stressed, hot-weather crops like Fennel and Shiso once temperatures climb above 70°F during our humid summer stretches.
- Watch for slugs and snails aggressively targeting young transplants of Celery and Lettuce equivalents while our frequent spring showers keep the soil damp.
- Powdery mildew can quickly develop on Cucumbers and Squash varieties if our high humidity combines with poor air circulation in dense row plantings.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to reduce evaporation and prevent fungal issues on leafy greens.
Save seeds from your best-performing varieties like French Marigold and Zinnia to start your next season's garden early.
Rochester gardening questions
3Is it safe to pull my winter cover crops now that the frost date has passed?
Yes, you should remove all frost protection immediately since average temperatures are rising toward zero, but ensure your tender transplants like Basil and Zinnia have hardening-off time first.
Which of this week's harvest list works best in our short growing season?
Fast-maturing crops like Bush Beans, French Marigolds, and Nasturtiums are ideal for Rochester because they reach maturity quickly before the October 24 frost date.
Can I start sowing seeds directly into my garden beds this week despite it being early April?
No, you must wait until soil temperatures consistently stay above 50°F; instead, focus your efforts on transplanting established starts of Garlic and warm-season vegetables like Okra.
Other cities in zone 6b
12See the full zone 6b guide → · Plan your Rochester garden in SproutGuide →