Plant Squash (winter) in Zone 9a

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 9a

Start indoors

Feb 8

Transplant

Mar 15

Direct sow

Mar 15

Harvest (~95d)

Jun 18

Zone 9a averages 274 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around March 1 to a first fall frost around November 30. Squash (winter) needs roughly 95 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 35 percent of that window. Squash (winter) is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Because squash (winter) needs a head start, sow seed indoors around Feb 8, about 3 weeks ahead of the Zone 9a last frost. Transplants go out around Mar 15. Starting earlier than that in Zone 9a usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 95 days to harvest, a 274-day Zone 9a season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: squash (winter) in Zone 9a

Squash (winter) has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. Winter squash needs too many days to maturity for a second planting outside the tropics.

Winter squash needs too many days to maturity for a second planting outside the tropics.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 9a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall squash (winter) in Zone 9a

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Feb 8	Mar 15	Jun 18
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Mar 1

First fall frost

Nov 30

Growing season

274 days

Squash (winter) in nearby zones

Squash (winter) in Zone 8b (colder) Squash (winter) in Zone 9b (warmer) Full Squash (winter) grow guide Zone 9a planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 9a

Tomatoes in Zone 9a Peppers in Zone 9a Cucumbers in Zone 9a Lettuce in Zone 9a Zucchini in Zone 9a Carrots in Zone 9a Beans (bush) in Zone 9a Peas in Zone 9a Broccoli in Zone 9a Spinach in Zone 9a Kale in Zone 9a Onions in Zone 9a Garlic in Zone 9a Potatoes in Zone 9a Corn in Zone 9a Radishes in Zone 9a Beets in Zone 9a Eggplant in Zone 9a Basil in Zone 9a Cilantro in Zone 9a Parsley in Zone 9a Pumpkins in Zone 9a Sunflowers in Zone 9a

Frequently asked questions

When should I start squash (winter) in Zone 9a?

Start squash (winter) seeds indoors around Feb 8 (Zone 9a).

Can I direct sow squash (winter) in Zone 9a?

Yes, direct sow around Mar 15.

Can I plant squash (winter) in the fall in Zone 9a?

Squash (winter) has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. Winter squash needs too many days to maturity for a second planting outside the tropics.

Will squash (winter) survive frost in Zone 9a?

No. Squash (winter) is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 9a planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of squash (winter) fit in a Zone 9a season?

About 2. Zone 9a averages 274 frost-free days and squash (winter) needs roughly 95 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 55 days keeps a supply coming.