USDA zone · Zone 8b
Zone 8b planting calendar
Zone 8b covers the Gulf Coast fringe, central Texas and the mild Pacific Northwest lowlands: a last frost in March, a first frost in November, and a long warm season with a short winter. The split season matters more than any single date.
Zone8b
FrostLast frost March · first frost November
ClimateHumid subtropical
RegionUS Southeast
Months12
| Month | Sow | Plant out | Tend / harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Onion and leek seed indoors | Bare-root trees and roses | Prune fruit trees, order seed, plan the rotation |
| Feb | Tomato and pepper indoors; peas outdoors | Onion sets, potatoes, hardy greens | Prepare beds, take a soil test, set irrigation |
| Mar | Beet, carrot, lettuce and spinach | Broccoli, cabbage and potatoes | Last frost early in the month; harden off seedlings |
| Apr | Bean, corn and squash | Tomato and pepper after the last frost | Mulch, water deeply, watch for aphids |
| May | Okra and sweet-potato slips | Basil, cucumber and melon | Harvest strawberries; water early in the day |
| Jun | Southern peas and cover crop | Late tomato and pepper | Heat arrives; mulch and irrigate, harvest daily |
| Jul | Autumn brassicas under shade cloth | Nothing in the heat | Water, shade, harvest garlic and onions |
| Aug | Fall lettuce, spinach and kale | Broccoli and cabbage for autumn | Start the fall garden, compost spent crops |
| Sep | Radish, turnip and cover crop | Garlic and spring bulbs | Harvest, save seed, clean up |
| Oct | Winter salad under cover | Trees, shrubs and bulbs | First frost late in the month or November; mulch |
| Nov | Nothing outdoors | Bare-root trees and hedging | Protect citrus and tender plants; prune dormant trees |
| Dec | Microgreens indoors | Dormant trees | Plan, repair tools, order spring seed |
How to use it. Start with the frost line, not the month name. If your last frost is earlier or later than the one above, shift the spring rows by the same number of weeks. Soil temperature matters more than the date for warm-season crops.
What this calendar assumes
- An open, sunny bed with drainage; shade and wet soil shift every row.
- Typical frost dates for the zone or city, not a specific garden's microclimate.
- Seed and transplant dates for a home garden, not commercial scheduling.
- No heated greenhouse; a polytunnel or conservatory buys two to four weeks at each end.
Check locally
NOAA climate data · UF/IFAS Extension. For the US, the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the zone reference; your state extension service has frost normals for your county.
Related
Horticulture in US Southeast · all calendars · plant spacing chart · soil calculator