Plant Pumpkins in Zone 8a

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 8a

Start indoors

Mar 4

Transplant

Apr 8

Direct sow

Apr 8

Harvest (~100d)

Jul 17

Zone 8a averages 228 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around March 25 to a first fall frost around November 8. Pumpkins needs roughly 100 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 44 percent of that window. Pumpkins is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Because pumpkins needs a head start, sow seed indoors around Mar 4, about 3 weeks ahead of the Zone 8a last frost. Transplants go out around Apr 8. Starting earlier than that in Zone 8a usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 100 days to harvest, a 228-day Zone 8a season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: pumpkins in Zone 8a

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 8a. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 8a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall pumpkins in Zone 8a

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Mar 4	Apr 8	Jul 17
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Mar 25

First fall frost

Nov 8

Growing season

228 days

Pumpkins in nearby zones

Pumpkins in Zone 7b (colder) Pumpkins in Zone 8b (warmer) Full Pumpkins grow guide Zone 8a planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 8a

Tomatoes in Zone 8a Peppers in Zone 8a Cucumbers in Zone 8a Lettuce in Zone 8a Zucchini in Zone 8a Carrots in Zone 8a Beans (bush) in Zone 8a Peas in Zone 8a Broccoli in Zone 8a Spinach in Zone 8a Kale in Zone 8a Onions in Zone 8a Garlic in Zone 8a Potatoes in Zone 8a Squash (winter) in Zone 8a Corn in Zone 8a Radishes in Zone 8a Beets in Zone 8a Eggplant in Zone 8a Basil in Zone 8a Cilantro in Zone 8a Parsley in Zone 8a Sunflowers in Zone 8a

Frequently asked questions

When should I start pumpkins in Zone 8a?

Start pumpkins seeds indoors around Mar 4 (Zone 8a).

Can I direct sow pumpkins in Zone 8a?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 8.

Can I plant pumpkins in the fall in Zone 8a?

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 8a. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Will pumpkins survive frost in Zone 8a?

No. Pumpkins is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 8a planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of pumpkins fit in a Zone 8a season?

About 2. Zone 8a averages 228 frost-free days and pumpkins needs roughly 100 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 57 days keeps a supply coming.