Zone 9a Planting Calendar
In zone 9a, the median last spring frost falls around Feb 25 and the first fall frost around Dec 5, giving roughly 282 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 20°F to 25°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: Houston, TX, Jacksonville, FL, Seattle, WA. The most misleading zone in the dataset. Houston and Jacksonville are humid subtropical with a long hot season, while Seattle and Portland, OR are also 9a but are cool maritime: Seattle's last spring frost is typically mid-to-late March and summer heat units are a fraction of the Gulf Coast's. Zone matches, growing season does not. Site copy must say so explicitly for any 9a user.
What to plant and when in zone 9a
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Feb 25 and a first frost of Dec 5.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Dec 3 – Dec 17 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | Jun 19 – Jul 19 |
| Leek | Dec 3 – Dec 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 10 | — | Apr 28 – Jun 27 |
| Onion | Dec 3 – Dec 17 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | — | May 15 – Jun 4 |
| Rosemary | Dec 3 – Dec 17 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 30 – Jun 19 |
| Kale | Dec 10 – Dec 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 10 | Sep 12 – Sep 25 | Mar 19 – Apr 20 |
| Broccoli | Dec 17 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Sep 5 – Sep 18 | Mar 26 – May 5 |
| Cabbage | Dec 17 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Sep 5 – Sep 18 | Apr 5 – May 15 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Dec 17 – Jan 14 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | May 27 – Jun 11 |
| Chives | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | May 16 – May 26 |
| Common Thyme | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Apr 26 – May 26 |
| Greek Oregano | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | May 16 – May 26 |
| Cauliflower | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Sep 5 – Sep 18 | Apr 2 – May 2 |
| Eggplant | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 5 – May 30 |
| Sweet Potato | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 18 – Mar 31 | — | Jun 16 – Jul 16 |
| Basil | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | May 10 – Jun 9 |
| Garden Sage | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | May 6 – May 16 |
| Parsley | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 26 – Oct 9 | May 6 – May 16 |
| Spearmint | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Apr 26 – May 26 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Oct 10 – Oct 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 12 |
| French Marigold | Dec 31 – Jan 28 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Apr 18 – May 3 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Oct 10 – Oct 23 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 |
| Tomato | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Apr 28 – Jun 2 |
| Bok Choy | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Oct 10 – Oct 23 | Mar 13 – Apr 12 |
| Collard Greens | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Sep 12 – Sep 25 | Apr 12 – May 2 |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Oct 3 – Oct 16 | Apr 2 – Apr 12 |
| Lettuce | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Sep 26 – Oct 9 | Apr 2 – Apr 22 |
| Spinach | Jan 14 – Jan 21 | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Oct 17 – Oct 30 | Apr 3 – Apr 14 |
| Swiss Chard | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | Nov 7 – Nov 20 | Mar 23 – Apr 7 |
| Pea | — | Jan 21 – Feb 3 | Oct 3 – Oct 16 | Mar 17 – Apr 6 |
| Rhubarb | — | Jan 21 – Feb 3 | — | Jan 21 – Jan 20 |
| Watermelon | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 20 – Jun 14 |
| Arugula | — | Jan 28 – Feb 10 | Oct 24 – Nov 6 | Feb 27 – Mar 19 |
| Asparagus | — | Jan 28 – Feb 10 | — | Jan 28 – Jan 27 |
| Cucumber | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | Apr 30 – May 20 |
| Pumpkin | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | Jun 4 – Jul 9 |
| Turnip | — | Jan 28 – Feb 10 | Oct 3 – Oct 16 | Mar 9 – Apr 13 |
| Nasturtium | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Apr 28 – May 8 |
| Beet | — | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Sep 26 – Oct 9 | Mar 26 – Apr 15 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Sep 19 – Oct 2 | Apr 5 – Apr 25 |
| Potato | — | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | — | Apr 15 – Jun 4 |
| Radish | — | Feb 4 – Feb 17 | Oct 24 – Nov 6 | Feb 25 – Mar 21 |
| Sunflower | Feb 4 – Feb 11 | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | May 13 – Jun 12 |
| Parsnip | — | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | — | Jun 1 – Jun 21 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Feb 11 – Feb 18 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 30 – Jun 19 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Feb 11 – Feb 18 | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 18 – Jun 4 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 11 – Feb 24 | — | Mar 11 – Mar 13 |
| Dill | — | Feb 18 – Mar 3 | Sep 26 – Oct 9 | Mar 30 – Apr 14 |
| Bush bean | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Sep 26 – Oct 9 | Apr 16 – Apr 26 |
| Pole bean | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Apr 24 – Apr 29 |
| Sweet corn | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Apr 26 – Jun 5 |
| Borage | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | — | Apr 16 – Apr 26 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Feb 25 – Mar 10 | Oct 10 – Oct 23 | Apr 11 – May 6 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Mar 4 – Mar 17 | — | Apr 8 – Apr 28 |
| Okra | — | Mar 11 – Mar 24 | — | May 10 – May 20 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | May 6 – May 19 | Aug 29 – Sep 11 | Jul 30 – Aug 24 |
| Garlic | — | — | Dec 5 – Dec 18 | — |
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 9a 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
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