Gardening in zone 9a
In USDA zone 9a, the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25°F. The typical last spring frost is around Mar 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 25.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 9a, last spring frosts range from about Feb 15 to Mar 21, and first fall frosts from Nov 13 to Dec 9. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 9a is common in: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, California, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Alabama, Arizona, South Carolina, Nevada, Mississippi
Zone 9a 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 Jan 19 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Pepper | Around Jan 5 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Jan 5 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Basil | Around Jan 19 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Feb 9 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Feb 9 | Around Mar 9 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Feb 9 | Around Mar 9 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Feb 9 | Around Mar 16 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Mar 2 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around Mar 9 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Jan 19 | Around Sep 16 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Feb 2 | Around Oct 7 |
| Spinach | — | Around Jan 19 | Around Sep 30 |
| Kale | Around Jan 19 | Around Mar 2 | Around Sep 16 |
| Broccoli | Around Jan 5 | Around Feb 16 | Around Aug 19 |
| Cabbage | Around Jan 19 | Around Mar 2 | Around Aug 19 |
| Carrot | — | Around Feb 9 | Around Sep 9 |
| Beet | — | Around Feb 2 | Around Sep 16 |
| Radish | — | Around Feb 2 | Around Oct 14 |
| Onion | Around Dec 22 | Around Feb 9 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Feb 16 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Dec 9 |
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 · 8b · 9b · 10a