Plant Beets in Zone 12a
Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 12a
Zone 12a is effectively frost-free, so the Zone 12a calendar for beets is set by heat, not cold. There is no last frost to count backward from and no first frost to beat, which means the question is not whether beets will finish but whether it will sit through the hottest stretch of the year. Beets is a hardy crop needing about 55 days from sowing to harvest.
Planting beets for a fall harvest in Zone 12a
Zone 12a has no meaningful frost, so the fall and winter months are the easiest time of year to grow beets here. Sow from about October 1 onward.
Beets sown for fall give you two crops at once: greens within a month and roots that sweeten in cold soil.
Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 12a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.
Spring vs fall beets in Zone 12a
| Planting | Sow or start | In the ground | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Mar 28 |
| Fall | Oct onward | Oct onward | Winter |
Beets in nearby zones
Further reading on beets
- Cold frame gardening by zone
How a cold frame keeps beets producing into winter, and when to sow it.
- Winter sowing guide
Sowing beets outdoors in jugs in late winter, with no lights.
- Last frost date and what to plant before it
Why beets can go out before your last frost, and how far before.
Other crops in Zone 12a
Frequently asked questions
When should I start beets in Zone 12a?
Direct sow outdoors around Feb 1.
Can I direct sow beets in Zone 12a?
Yes, direct sow around Feb 1.
Can I plant beets in the fall in Zone 12a?
Zone 12a has no meaningful frost, so the fall and winter months are the easiest time of year to grow beets here. Sow from about October 1 onward.
Will beets survive frost in Zone 12a?
Beets is a hardy crop and keeps going roughly 21 days past the first light frost in Zone 12a. A row cover or a straw mulch buys more.