Planting Zone 8a
Min winter temp 10 to 15°F · last frost ~March · first frost ~November
In Zone 8a, the average last spring frost is around March and the first fall frost around November, about a 228-day growing season. Start tender crops indoors before the last frost and move them out once it passes.
Zone 8a planting schedule and calendar
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Peppers | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Cucumbers | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Lettuce | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Zucchini | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Carrots | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Beans (bush) | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Peas | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Broccoli | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Spinach | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Kale | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Onions | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Garlic | ||||||||||||
| Potatoes | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Squash (winter) | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Corn | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Radishes | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Beets | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Eggplant | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Basil | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Cilantro | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Parsley | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Pumpkins | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Sunflowers | ● | ● |
What to plant this fall in Zone 8a
Fall planting in Zone 8a is arithmetic, not guesswork. The average first frost lands around November 8, so a crop needs its days to maturity, plus about two weeks for the slower growth of shortening days, to fit before then. Hardy crops get some of that back because they keep going past a light frost.
| Crop | Sow by | Fall harvest | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radishes | Oct 18 | Nov 15 | ~28 |
| Cilantro | Sep 24 | Nov 8 | ~45 |
| Kale | Sep 23 | Nov 22 | ~60 |
| Beets | Sep 21 | Nov 15 | ~55 |
| Lettuce | Sep 19 | Nov 8 | ~50 |
| Carrots | Sep 13 | Nov 22 | ~70 |
| Broccoli | Sep 11 | Nov 15 | ~65 |
| Peas | Sep 9 | Nov 8 | ~60 |
| Zucchini | Aug 17 | Oct 11 | ~55 |
| Beans (bush) | Aug 17 | Oct 11 | ~55 |
| Cucumbers | Aug 12 | Oct 11 | ~60 |
| Potatoes | Aug 6 | Nov 4 | ~90 |
| Tomatoes | Jul 28 | Oct 11 | ~75 |
| Peppers | Jul 23 | Oct 11 | ~80 |
| Eggplant | Jul 18 | Oct 11 | ~85 |
Planted in fall to stand through a Zone 8a winter: garlic (Nov 8 to Dec 6) , onions (Sep 27 to Oct 18) , spinach (Sep 27 to Oct 11) , parsley (Sep 27 to Oct 11) .
More on the method: the fall planting calendar by zone, when to plant garlic and how to stretch your first frost date.
When to plant popular crops in Zone 8a
Tomatoes
~75 days
When to plant
Peppers
~80 days
When to plant
Cucumbers
~60 days
When to plant
Lettuce
~50 days
When to plantCities in Zone 8a, with their own local frost dates: Atlanta, GA frost dates , Dallas, TX frost dates .
Seasonal reading for Zone 8a
- What to plant in October by zone
The October sowing and planting list for Zone 8a.
- What to plant in November by zone
What still goes in the ground in November in Zone 8a.
- Cold frame gardening by zone
How many weeks a cold frame adds to the Zone 8a season, and what to grow in it.
- October garden checklist
The jobs to finish before the first hard freeze in Zone 8a.
- Winter sowing guide
Winter sowing dates for Zone 8a.
- When to start seeds indoors by zone
Indoor seed-starting dates counted from the Zone 8a last frost.
- What changed in the 2023 USDA zone map
Whether the 2023 USDA map moved Zone 8a, and what that changes.
- Companion planting chart
Which crops to plant together once you know your dates.
Nearby zones
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in Zone 8a?
On average, the last spring frost in Zone 8a is around March; the first fall frost is around November.
What can I grow in Zone 8a?
Nearly all common vegetables and herbs grow in Zone 8a; the difference is timing. Use the planting calendar above, calculated from Zone 8a frost dates.
What can I plant in the fall in Zone 8a?
radishes (sow by Oct 18), cilantro (sow by Sep 24), kale (sow by Sep 23), beets (sow by Sep 21), lettuce (sow by Sep 19), carrots (sow by Sep 13). Each date is counted back from the Zone 8a average first frost around November 8.
How long is the growing season in Zone 8a?
About 228 days between the average last spring and first fall frost.