Gardening in zone 8b
In USDA zone 8b, the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20°F. The typical last spring frost is around Mar 18 and the first fall frost around Nov 13.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 8b, last spring frosts range from about Mar 6 to Apr 6, and first fall frosts from Nov 2 to Nov 23. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 8b is common in: Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Washington, South Carolina, Oregon, Louisiana, North Carolina, California, Arkansas, Arizona
Zone 8b 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 4 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Pepper | Around Jan 21 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Jan 21 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Basil | Around Feb 4 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Feb 25 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Feb 25 | Around Mar 25 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Feb 25 | Around Mar 25 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Feb 25 | Around Apr 1 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Mar 18 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around Mar 25 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Feb 4 | Around Sep 4 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Feb 18 | Around Sep 25 |
| Spinach | — | Around Feb 4 | Around Sep 18 |
| Kale | Around Feb 4 | Around Mar 18 | Around Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Around Jan 21 | Around Mar 4 | Around Aug 7 |
| Cabbage | Around Feb 4 | Around Mar 18 | Around Aug 7 |
| Carrot | — | Around Feb 25 | Around Aug 28 |
| Beet | — | Around Feb 18 | Around Sep 4 |
| Radish | — | Around Feb 18 | Around Oct 2 |
| Onion | Around Jan 7 | Around Feb 25 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Mar 4 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Nov 27 |
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 · 8a · 9a · 9b · 10a