A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Planting timeline near Cincinnati?

Hello.. I've never grown a garden before, so please bare with me!!
I am wanting to plant some various veggies and herbs, but I'm not sure when to plant anything. I know the weather here is beautiful these days, but I don't want to plant things too early..... or too late!
I'm wanting to grow some of the following:
Onions (white)
Tomatos
Green peppers
Zucchini
Chives
and maybe even some raspberries and/or strawberries

If anyone could give me some idea about when I should be planting these - it would be greatly appreciated. I'll probably end up just going to Lowes and getting the starter plants they have there, but I don't know if I should be getting seeds instead?

Thanks,
Cass

You can definitely buy seedlings at a garden center. There is no need to start your own seeds unless you want to save money or grow varieties that are not readily available as plants.
You could ask at a garden center when to plant for your area but they are notoriously wrong. Most don't know very much (except my mom! ). Try to go to a local news show website for local weather facts. At least our local news has a lot of info on last frost date and calendars and things. they also have a garden call in segment and stuff.
You can plant onions (usually as 'sets'- baby hard onions from the store) as soon as the ground isn't wet, sloppy and cold. The other veggies have to wait until the ground warms and the risk of frost is past. Herbs like chives are very hardy (member of the onion family) and can be planted soon. They stay green when it is very cold. Tender herbs like basil, cilantro, etc are very touchy to cold. Wait until you plant your tomatoes to plant those if desired.
My *guess* for your zone is the onions will be ok now and the warmer veggies the first or second week of May to be safe.

Great - thank you Tamara! I thought of asking at Lowes, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have a clue.. hence why I found these forums! :)

Definitely plant the zucchini from seed, in clusters of 3 seeds...you may not find plants, and they really take of from seed anyway. Chives should be easy from seed. I'd plant the onions now, buy the bundles of plants or the bulbs. Like Tamara said, as long as the ground can be worked, they'll be okay, they can take frost. I think mid May would be fine for the zucchini, peppers and tomatoes, you should buy tom's and peppers as plants until you get a feel for gardening and stating things from seed. Raspberries and strawberries should go in the ground as soon as you can find some.