Tomatos and peppers need to be started from seed and transplanted as they are long season crops. Start from seed 6 weeks before planting out for tomatos and 8 for peppers.

Carrots have to be seed planted as they do not transplant easily at all.

Zucchini, squash, cukes you can do either, but be gentle with the plants as they are sensitive to being transplanted. Disturb the roots as little as possible, otherwise direct seed.

Peas and beans you can just direct seed. I have a friend who transplants them (peas anyway), but I really don't see the point.

Kolrabi I just direct seed, but it can be transplanted. Radish definitely direct seed.

Green onions it depends. I don't grow onions from seed as a rule because they take so long. You would have to start onions from seed in February to have decent plants in time. If you don't want the bulbs, but just the green tops then go ahead and direct sow some seed and see how that goes, I never tried it.

As far as planting dates, that's kind of iffy depending on the year. In zone 5 I use April 15th as the cool season date and May 20-June 1 as the warm season date, but all sorts of things can affect this. If there is still snow on the ground come April 15th, don't bother planting anything ;-)

Tomatos, peppers, zukes, squash, beans, cukes are warm season plants and won't do well at all in cold soil or air.

Carrots are cool season, but will take forever to germinate in cold soil. Peas (most of them) are cool season as are radish and onion.

Peas, radish and probably carrots can be started outside as soon as the ground can be worked (dried out from the thaw). Green onions may need to be started indoors beginning in March for earlier harvests and seed out in late May. I'd start the peppers inside in early April along with the tomatoes. My folks would always start everything else you mention outside from seed in late May (including tomatoes, never tried kohlrabi) but in NE WI you may have to watch the weather and plant later. Beans really need the soil to be warm to plant seeds. Don't be too concerned about a later start than the southern part of the state, after all, you'll get more daylight than we will.

tj

I'll start my tomatoes and peppers inside in early or mid March. I might even experiment by using a wall o' water to get one or two outside or in my unheated greenhouse in April (ha!). To gain even more time I grow some early varieties like Glacier.

The cucumbers should wait though, you can start them inside if you want but not too early, only a few weeks before you plant. Otherwise you stunt their root system and they don't transplant or produce well (at least that's what I've read). They grow really quickly once it's warm though so direct seeding is probably just as easy.

Radishes and peas like it cool so you can get them in the ground as soon as the soil is workable. As you probably know you can really only grow them in spring and fall, it's too hot in the summer. Lettuce is kind of the same way, if you grow any of that.

You might like this chart, I've found it pretty helpful in keeping everything straight. Enter your frost free date and it'll update all of the planting times!

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed starting chart

Thanks so much everyone. I guess you can only do SO much research... it's more of a hands on hobby you have to experience before you get comfortable. Wish me luck anyway! Thanks again for the advice.