I'm a WI transplant to TN (also zone seven). I started planting cool weather loving plants today-broccoli. And plan to plant the rest ASAP before Tennessee heat and humidity starts and stays. The sun is already burning hot when the sun shines in a cloudless sky. Even, today, I spent some little time in the sun when it was mostly cloudy and tuned red as a result. I also noticed that some of the veggies to be planted have burnt edges. Yes, I'll plant everything as son as possible and plan to put shade netting over the tomatoes and cucumbers. If it hadn't rained so much I'd have the garden planted.
Potatoes, I planted two weeks ago and they are lush and green.
Im in VA mtns zone 6a-6b depending on how old of a map you look at. I plant my cool season crops (peas, lettuce, spinach,
potatoes, sometimes broccoli and raddishes, onions, garlic, and chives) between March 15th-21st. So yall should be the same time or slightly before.
Progress report:
Potatoes are doing great, peas are 2-3" tall, radishes, lettuce, and spinach, are 1" sprouts, bulbs are 4" sprouts. We got hammered by some HEAVY RAIN over the weekend and I had a wash out of my carrots and broccoli. They will likely need replanting.
FYI - Last frost here isnt until May 15th. (Calling for a dusting of snow tonight). The rest of the garden goes in then.
Your local co-op or state AG dept. will have a planting list that tells you best planting times for all garden crops and expected harvest dates for your area.