Zone 8a Planting Calendar
In zone 8a, the median last spring frost falls around Mar 18 and the first fall frost around Nov 16, giving roughly 242 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 10°F to 15°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Raleigh, NC. Two verified NWS 1991-2020 anchors inside this single zone disagree by 11-20 days: Atlanta, GA is last spring 32F March 23 / first fall 32F November 13 (~235 frost-free days) while Dallas-Fort Worth, TX is March 12 / November 22 (~255 days). The value here is the midpoint. This zone is the clearest evidence that hardiness zone alone cannot determine a planting calendar.
What to plant and when in zone 8a
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Mar 18 and a first frost of Nov 16.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jul 10 – Aug 9 |
| Leek | Dec 24 – Jan 21 | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | — | May 19 – Jul 18 |
| Onion | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Jun 5 – Jun 25 |
| Rosemary | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jun 20 – Jul 10 |
| Kale | Dec 31 – Jan 21 | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | Apr 9 – May 11 |
| Broccoli | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Aug 17 – Aug 30 | Apr 16 – May 26 |
| Cabbage | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Aug 17 – Aug 30 | Apr 26 – Jun 5 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Jan 7 – Feb 4 | Apr 8 – Apr 21 | — | Jun 17 – Jul 2 |
| Chives | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | Jun 6 – Jun 16 |
| Common Thyme | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 17 – Jun 16 |
| Greek Oregano | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | Jun 6 – Jun 16 |
| Cauliflower | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Aug 17 – Aug 30 | Apr 23 – May 23 |
| Eggplant | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | May 26 – Jun 20 |
| Sweet Potato | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 8 – Apr 21 | — | Jul 7 – Aug 6 |
| Basil | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | May 31 – Jun 30 |
| Garden Sage | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 27 – Jun 6 |
| Parsley | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | May 27 – Jun 6 |
| Spearmint | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 17 – Jun 16 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | Apr 23 – May 3 |
| French Marigold | Jan 21 – Feb 18 | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | May 9 – May 24 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Tomato | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | May 19 – Jun 23 |
| Bok Choy | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | Apr 3 – May 3 |
| Collard Greens | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | May 3 – May 23 |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 14 – Sep 27 | Apr 23 – May 3 |
| Lettuce | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | Apr 23 – May 13 |
| Spinach | Feb 4 – Feb 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 28 – Oct 11 | Apr 24 – May 5 |
| Swiss Chard | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | Oct 19 – Nov 1 | Apr 13 – Apr 28 |
| Pea | — | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Sep 14 – Sep 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 27 |
| Rhubarb | — | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | — | Feb 11 – Feb 10 |
| Watermelon | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jun 10 – Jul 5 |
| Arugula | — | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | Oct 5 – Oct 18 | Mar 20 – Apr 9 |
| Asparagus | — | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | — | Feb 18 – Feb 17 |
| Cucumber | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| Pumpkin | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jun 25 – Jul 30 |
| Turnip | — | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | Sep 14 – Sep 27 | Mar 30 – May 4 |
| Nasturtium | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | May 19 – May 29 |
| Beet | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | Apr 16 – May 6 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Aug 31 – Sep 13 | Apr 26 – May 16 |
| Potato | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | May 6 – Jun 25 |
| Radish | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Oct 5 – Oct 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 11 |
| Sunflower | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | Jun 3 – Jul 3 |
| Parsnip | — | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Jun 22 – Jul 12 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jun 20 – Jul 10 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | Jun 8 – Jun 25 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Apr 1 – Apr 3 |
| Dill | — | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | Apr 20 – May 5 |
| Bush bean | — | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | May 7 – May 17 |
| Pole bean | — | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 15 – May 20 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 17 – Jun 26 |
| Borage | — | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 7 – May 17 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | May 2 – May 27 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Mar 25 – Apr 7 | — | Apr 29 – May 19 |
| Okra | — | Apr 1 – Apr 14 | — | May 31 – Jun 10 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | May 27 – Jun 9 | Aug 10 – Aug 23 | Aug 20 – Sep 14 |
| Garlic | — | — | Nov 16 – Nov 29 | — |
Print this page for a calendar you can pin up in the shed.
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One zone is not one climate. USDA hardiness zones are drawn from average winter minimum temperature and nothing else, so they do not determine frost dates. Two gardens in zone 8a can differ by two or three weeks depending on elevation, distance from water, and local topography. Treat this page as a starting schedule and adjust it to what your own garden has actually done. How these dates were derived →
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