I love permies and get lots of valuable info here. I also get e-mail from
The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Planner <
almanac@growveg.com you put in your
city and state, or your zip code and it tells you when it is a good time to plant indoor, or directly in the garden, also when to plant the transplants. If you combine this information with the info like days to maturity on the seed package, you
should be good.
>
I do understand what you are saying though. according to just about everything I read for my zone, I should start pumpkins indoors now. If I do that by the time Halloween gets here the pumpkins will be rotten. Most pumpkins take 90 to 120 days to mature, so I try to get them planted in the beginning of July. Plenty of time to mature, and doesn't take up valuable garden space before it's needed.
Normally I would tell you to talk to the gardeners in your area. Ask when and how do you plant _. Even in zones there are lots of venerable that make a difference, and most of us gardeners love to share our knowledge. This step will have to wait until it is safe to do so. Good luck.