Plant seed as soon as the soil warms. The soil should be 70 degrees. If you live in the Northeast, like I do, you will need to start seed indoors in peat pots about 2-3 weeks before the last frost date. The seedlings should be directly sown into the ground, in their peat pots. To get an earlier start on the growing season, one can use "white on black" brand garden plastic, to put over your rows, the same time that you start your seed indoors, to get the soil warmed up and ready for you to put your seedlings in the ground.