Gardening in zone 8a
In USDA zone 8a, the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15°F. The typical last spring frost is around Mar 29 and the first fall frost around Nov 6.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 8a, last spring frosts range from about Mar 20 to Apr 8, and first fall frosts from Oct 30 to Nov 14. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 8a is common in: North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Maryland, Tennessee, New Mexico
Zone 8a planting schedule
Dates below count from the zone’s typical frost dates, so treat them as a starting point. For dates set to your exact ZIP code, use the planting calendar.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant or sow outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Around Feb 15 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Pepper | Around Feb 1 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Feb 1 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Basil | Around Feb 15 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Mar 8 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Mar 8 | Around Apr 5 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Mar 8 | Around Apr 5 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Mar 8 | Around Apr 12 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Mar 29 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around Apr 5 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Feb 15 | Around Aug 28 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Mar 1 | Around Sep 18 |
| Spinach | — | Around Feb 15 | Around Sep 11 |
| Kale | Around Feb 15 | Around Mar 29 | Around Aug 28 |
| Broccoli | Around Feb 1 | Around Mar 15 | Around Jul 31 |
| Cabbage | Around Feb 15 | Around Mar 29 | Around Jul 31 |
| Carrot | — | Around Mar 8 | Around Aug 21 |
| Beet | — | Around Mar 1 | Around Aug 28 |
| Radish | — | Around Mar 1 | Around Sep 25 |
| Onion | Around Jan 18 | Around Mar 8 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Mar 15 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Nov 20 |
Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Frost dates: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (50% chance of 32°F), middle value across the zone's ZIP codes.
Other zones: 3b · 4a · 4b · 5a · 5b · 6a · 6b · 7a · 7b · 8b · 9a · 9b · 10a