Zone 9b Planting Calendar
In zone 9b, the median last spring frost falls around Feb 10 and the first fall frost around Dec 15, giving roughly 307 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 25°F to 30°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: Orlando, FL, New Orleans, LA, Phoenix, AZ. Freezes occur in most but not all years and are usually brief radiative events. Phoenix is 9b-10a desert: its limiting season is summer heat, not frost, so a frost-date-driven planting calendar is the wrong model there and the tool should say so.
What to plant and when in zone 9b
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Feb 10 and a first frost of Dec 15.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | Jun 4 – Jul 4 |
| Leek | Nov 18 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Jan 26 | — | Apr 13 – Jun 12 |
| Onion | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | — | Apr 30 – May 20 |
| Rosemary | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | May 15 – Jun 4 |
| Kale | Nov 25 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Jan 26 | Sep 22 – Oct 5 | Mar 4 – Apr 5 |
| Broccoli | Dec 2 – Dec 23 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Sep 15 – Sep 28 | Mar 11 – Apr 20 |
| Cabbage | Dec 2 – Dec 23 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Sep 15 – Sep 28 | Mar 21 – Apr 30 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Dec 2 – Dec 30 | Mar 3 – Mar 16 | — | May 12 – May 27 |
| Chives | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | May 1 – May 11 |
| Common Thyme | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 11 – May 11 |
| Greek Oregano | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | May 1 – May 11 |
| Cauliflower | Dec 9 – Dec 30 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Sep 15 – Sep 28 | Mar 18 – Apr 17 |
| Eggplant | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | Apr 20 – May 15 |
| Sweet Potato | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Mar 3 – Mar 16 | — | Jun 1 – Jul 1 |
| Basil | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Apr 25 – May 25 |
| Garden Sage | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 21 – May 1 |
| Parsley | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | Oct 6 – Oct 19 | Apr 21 – May 1 |
| Spearmint | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 11 – May 11 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Oct 20 – Nov 2 | Mar 18 – Mar 28 |
| French Marigold | Dec 16 – Jan 13 | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Apr 3 – Apr 18 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Oct 20 – Nov 2 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 |
| Tomato | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Apr 13 – May 18 |
| Bok Choy | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Oct 20 – Nov 2 | Feb 26 – Mar 28 |
| Collard Greens | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Sep 22 – Oct 5 | Mar 28 – Apr 17 |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Oct 13 – Oct 26 | Mar 18 – Mar 28 |
| Lettuce | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Oct 6 – Oct 19 | Mar 18 – Apr 7 |
| Spinach | Dec 30 – Jan 6 | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Oct 27 – Nov 9 | Mar 19 – Mar 30 |
| Swiss Chard | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | Nov 17 – Nov 30 | Mar 8 – Mar 23 |
| Pea | — | Jan 6 – Jan 19 | Oct 13 – Oct 26 | Mar 2 – Mar 22 |
| Rhubarb | — | Jan 6 – Jan 19 | — | Jan 6 – Jan 5 |
| Watermelon | Jan 6 – Jan 27 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | May 5 – May 30 |
| Arugula | — | Jan 13 – Jan 26 | Nov 3 – Nov 16 | Feb 12 – Mar 4 |
| Asparagus | — | Jan 13 – Jan 26 | — | Jan 13 – Jan 12 |
| Cucumber | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | Apr 15 – May 5 |
| Pumpkin | Jan 13 – Jan 20 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Turnip | — | Jan 13 – Jan 26 | Oct 13 – Oct 26 | Feb 22 – Mar 29 |
| Nasturtium | Jan 13 – Jan 20 | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Apr 13 – Apr 23 |
| Beet | — | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Oct 6 – Oct 19 | Mar 11 – Mar 31 |
| Carrot | — | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Sep 29 – Oct 12 | Mar 21 – Apr 10 |
| Potato | — | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | — | Mar 31 – May 20 |
| Radish | — | Jan 20 – Feb 2 | Nov 3 – Nov 16 | Feb 10 – Mar 6 |
| Sunflower | Jan 20 – Jan 27 | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Apr 28 – May 28 |
| Parsnip | — | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | — | May 17 – Jun 6 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Jan 27 – Feb 3 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | May 15 – Jun 4 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Jan 27 – Feb 3 | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | May 3 – May 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 27 – Feb 9 | — | Feb 24 – Feb 26 |
| Dill | — | Feb 3 – Feb 16 | Oct 6 – Oct 19 | Mar 15 – Mar 30 |
| Bush bean | — | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | Oct 6 – Oct 19 | Apr 1 – Apr 11 |
| Pole bean | — | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 9 – Apr 14 |
| Sweet corn | — | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 11 – May 21 |
| Borage | — | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | — | Apr 1 – Apr 11 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Feb 10 – Feb 23 | Oct 20 – Nov 2 | Mar 27 – Apr 21 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Feb 17 – Mar 2 | — | Mar 24 – Apr 13 |
| Okra | — | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | — | Apr 25 – May 5 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | Apr 21 – May 4 | Sep 8 – Sep 21 | Jul 15 – Aug 9 |
| Garlic | — | — | Dec 15 – Dec 28 | — |
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 9b 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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