Plant Squash (winter) in Zone 9b

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

Start indoors

Jan 25

Transplant

Mar 1

Direct sow

Mar 1

Harvest (~95d)

Jun 4

Zone 9b averages 298 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around February 15 to a first fall frost around December 10. Squash (winter) needs roughly 95 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 32 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 Jan 25, about 3 weeks ahead of the Zone 9b last frost. Transplants go out around Mar 1. Starting earlier than that in Zone 9b usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 95 days to harvest, a 298-day Zone 9b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: squash (winter) in Zone 9b

Squash (winter) has no useful fall window in Zone 9b. 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 9b 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 9b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Jan 25	Mar 1	Jun 4
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Feb 15

First fall frost

Dec 10

Growing season

298 days

Squash (winter) in nearby zones

Squash (winter) in Zone 9a (colder) Squash (winter) in Zone 10a (warmer) Full Squash (winter) grow guide Zone 9b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 9b

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

Frequently asked questions

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

Start squash (winter) seeds indoors around Jan 25 (Zone 9b).

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

Yes, direct sow around Mar 1.

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

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

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

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

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

About 2. Zone 9b averages 298 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.