Zone 8b Planting Calendar
In zone 8b, the median last spring frost falls around Mar 8 and the first fall frost around Nov 25, giving roughly 261 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 15°F to 20°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: Charleston, SC, Austin, TX, Wilmington, NC. Coastal Southeast and south-central Texas. Immediate coastal sites are effectively frost-free in mild winters while 8b sites 30 miles inland still get several hard freezes. Pacific Northwest lowlands also reach 8b with a completely different seasonal shape (cool, wet, long spring).
What to plant and when in zone 8b
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Mar 8 and a first frost of Nov 25.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Dec 14 – Dec 28 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | Jun 30 – Jul 30 |
| Leek | Dec 14 – Jan 11 | Feb 8 – Feb 21 | — | May 9 – Jul 8 |
| Onion | Dec 14 – Dec 28 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | — | May 26 – Jun 15 |
| Rosemary | Dec 14 – Dec 28 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| Kale | Dec 21 – Jan 11 | Feb 8 – Feb 21 | Sep 2 – Sep 15 | Mar 30 – May 1 |
| Broccoli | Dec 28 – Jan 18 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Aug 26 – Sep 8 | Apr 6 – May 16 |
| Cabbage | Dec 28 – Jan 18 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Aug 26 – Sep 8 | Apr 16 – May 26 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Dec 28 – Jan 25 | Mar 29 – Apr 11 | — | Jun 7 – Jun 22 |
| Chives | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 27 – Jun 6 |
| Common Thyme | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 7 – Jun 6 |
| Greek Oregano | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 27 – Jun 6 |
| Cauliflower | Jan 4 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Aug 26 – Sep 8 | Apr 13 – May 13 |
| Eggplant | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | May 16 – Jun 10 |
| Sweet Potato | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 29 – Apr 11 | — | Jun 27 – Jul 27 |
| Basil | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | May 21 – Jun 20 |
| Garden Sage | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 17 – May 27 |
| Parsley | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | Sep 16 – Sep 29 | May 17 – May 27 |
| Spearmint | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 7 – Jun 6 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Sep 30 – Oct 13 | Apr 13 – Apr 23 |
| French Marigold | Jan 11 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | Apr 29 – May 14 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Sep 30 – Oct 13 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 |
| Tomato | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | May 9 – Jun 13 |
| Bok Choy | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Sep 30 – Oct 13 | Mar 24 – Apr 23 |
| Collard Greens | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Sep 2 – Sep 15 | Apr 23 – May 13 |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Sep 23 – Oct 6 | Apr 13 – Apr 23 |
| Lettuce | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Sep 16 – Sep 29 | Apr 13 – May 3 |
| Spinach | Jan 25 – Feb 1 | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Oct 7 – Oct 20 | Apr 14 – Apr 25 |
| Swiss Chard | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | Oct 28 – Nov 10 | Apr 3 – Apr 18 |
| Pea | — | Feb 1 – Feb 14 | Sep 23 – Oct 6 | Mar 28 – Apr 17 |
| Rhubarb | — | Feb 1 – Feb 14 | — | Feb 1 – Jan 31 |
| Watermelon | Feb 1 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | May 31 – Jun 25 |
| Arugula | — | Feb 8 – Feb 21 | Oct 14 – Oct 27 | Mar 10 – Mar 30 |
| Asparagus | — | Feb 8 – Feb 21 | — | Feb 8 – Feb 7 |
| Cucumber | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | May 11 – May 31 |
| Pumpkin | Feb 8 – Feb 15 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | Jun 15 – Jul 20 |
| Turnip | — | Feb 8 – Feb 21 | Sep 23 – Oct 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 24 |
| Nasturtium | Feb 8 – Feb 15 | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | May 9 – May 19 |
| Beet | — | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Sep 16 – Sep 29 | Apr 6 – Apr 26 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Sep 9 – Sep 22 | Apr 16 – May 6 |
| Potato | — | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | — | Apr 26 – Jun 15 |
| Radish | — | Feb 15 – Feb 28 | Oct 14 – Oct 27 | Mar 8 – Apr 1 |
| Sunflower | Feb 15 – Feb 22 | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | May 24 – Jun 23 |
| Parsnip | — | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | — | Jun 12 – Jul 2 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Feb 22 – Mar 1 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Feb 22 – Mar 1 | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | May 29 – Jun 15 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 22 – Mar 7 | — | Mar 22 – Mar 24 |
| Dill | — | Mar 1 – Mar 14 | Sep 16 – Sep 29 | Apr 10 – Apr 25 |
| Bush bean | — | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | Sep 16 – Sep 29 | Apr 27 – May 7 |
| Pole bean | — | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 5 – May 10 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | May 7 – Jun 16 |
| Borage | — | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | — | Apr 27 – May 7 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Mar 8 – Mar 21 | Sep 30 – Oct 13 | Apr 22 – May 17 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Mar 15 – Mar 28 | — | Apr 19 – May 9 |
| Okra | — | Mar 22 – Apr 4 | — | May 21 – May 31 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | May 17 – May 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 1 | Aug 10 – Sep 4 |
| Garlic | — | — | Nov 25 – Dec 8 | — |
Print this page for a calendar you can pin up in the shed.
Get reminded at the right week
FreePlanting dates are only useful if you remember them. Tell us your zone and we'll email you when it's time to start seeds indoors, when your last frost is close, and when the autumn sowing window opens — dated for your climate, not someone else's.
Seasonal sends only — roughly one a month, more in spring. No selling your address, unsubscribe in one click. Don't know your zone?
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 8b 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 →
Other zones
Not sure which zone you're in? Look it up by ZIP code →