Harvest Date Calculator
When will your vegetables be ready? Enter the planting date and crop to get the first harvest date and harvest window from days to maturity — tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, carrots, garlic and more.
How it works
first harvest = planting date + days to maturity · end of harvest ≈ first harvest + typical picking window
Seed catalogues list “days to maturity” for every variety: the average time from sowing in the garden — or from transplanting, for crops usually started indoors such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli and cabbage — to the first harvest. Cool weather, short days and poor soil add one to two weeks, and late-season plantings take longer in autumn, so treat the date as the start of checking for ripeness. Enter the number from your seed packet for the most accurate date; otherwise typical values from university extension guides are used.
Worked example
Tomatoes transplanted on Apr 15, 2026 with the typical 70 days to maturity give a first harvest around Jun 24, 2026, and plants keep producing for about 60 days, until about Aug 23, 2026.
Sources: University of Minnesota Extension — Vegetable planting and harvest guide · Cornell Cooperative Extension — Days to maturity
Frequently asked questions
What does days to maturity mean?
The average number of days from planting to the first harvest under good conditions. For transplanted crops (tomatoes, peppers, cabbage) it counts from transplanting, not from sowing the seed indoors, which adds another 6–8 weeks.
Why is my harvest later than the packet says?
Days to maturity assume warm weather and full sun. Cold nights, shade, drought, poor soil or planting late in the season (shorter days) can add 1–3 weeks. Many gardeners add about two weeks for autumn crops — the “fall factor”.
How long can I keep harvesting?
Indeterminate tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, pole beans and kale keep producing for 6–10 weeks or until frost; carrots, beets and cabbage are harvested once; lettuce and spinach can be picked for about 3 weeks before they bolt.
How do I plan a continuous harvest?
Sow quick crops such as lettuce, radish, bush beans and spinach every 2–3 weeks (succession planting) so a new batch matures as the previous one finishes.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.