Zone 8b planting schedule
Zone 8b covers places where the coldest night of an average winter falls between 15 to 20 °F. Here is what that means for frost dates and planting, month by month.
- Average winter low
- 15 to 20 °F
- Typical first frost
- Nov 14
- Last frost, most towns
- Mar 9 to Mar 25
- Frost-free season
- about 244 days
Middle values among the 281 towns of 10,000 people or more in zone 8b (our calculation, NOAA 1991-2020).
Where zone 8b is
Zone 8b towns are most common in Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina. Its biggest cities include Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; El Paso, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Arlington, TX. Because a zone is set only by winter cold, towns in it can have quite different springs: the middle half of them have their last frost between Mar 9 and Mar 25. Use your own town's dates when you can.
| City | Last frost | First frost | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Nov 29 | 272 d |
| Fort Worth, TX | Mar 5 | Nov 24 | 264 d |
| El Paso, TX | Mar 2 | Nov 20 | 261 d |
| Las Vegas, NV | Jan 24 | Dec 10 | 323 d |
| Arlington, TX | Mar 9 | Nov 21 | 256 d |
| Irving, TX | Mar 8 | Nov 24 | 262 d |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 23 | Nov 18 | 240 d |
| Garland, TX | Mar 2 | Nov 29 | 272 d |
| Norfolk, VA | Mar 16 | Nov 26 | 255 d |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 22 | Nov 13 | 236 d |
| Grand Prairie, TX | Mar 9 | Nov 21 | 256 d |
| Columbus, GA | Mar 5 | Nov 23 | 265 d |
Zone 8b planting calendar, month by month
Counted from the zone's typical frost dates. February is the busiest month for planting outside, with 25 crops going in. Each crop name links to its own page with the dates for your exact town.
| Month | Start indoors | Plant or sow outside | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Marigolds, Herbs, Tomatoes, Peppers, Broccoli, Lettuce, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Swiss Chard, Eggplant, Basil | Roses, Fruit Trees, Apple Trees, Cherry Trees, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Bok Choy | |
| February | Zinnias, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Okra | Strawberries, Wildflowers, Blueberries, Raspberries, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Lilies, Hostas, Herbs, Trees, Hydrangeas, Potatoes, Onions, Broccoli, Lettuce, Carrots, Beets, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Turnips, Leeks | Radishes |
| March | Sunflowers, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Summer Bulbs, Zinnias, Marigolds, Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Swiss Chard, Celery, Eggplant, Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Basil, Dill, Parsley | Peas, Beets, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Turnips | |
| April | Potatoes, Broccoli, Lettuce, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Green Beans, Carrots, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Swiss Chard, Basil | ||
| May | Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Cucumbers, Sweet Corn, Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, Eggplant, Okra | ||
| June | Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Sweet Potatoes | ||
| July | |||
| August | Irises, Broccoli, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Green Beans, Carrots, Radishes, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Turnips | ||
| September | Strawberries, Wildflowers, Hostas, Herbs, Trees, Hydrangeas, Peas, Beets, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Arugula | ||
| October | Daffodils, Tulips, Blueberries, Lilies, Peonies, Hyacinths, Crocus, Ornamental Alliums, Fruit Trees, Apple Trees, Crape Myrtles, Garlic, Shallots | ||
| November | Onions | Rhubarb | |
| December | Kale, Cabbage, Leeks, Celery, Parsley |
Fall plantings are listed with the month they go in. Ranges for each crop are on its page.
What grows well in zone 8b
With about 244 frost-free days, zone 8b grows warm-season crops for many months, and summer heat matters more than frost. Cool-season crops such as lettuce, broccoli and peas do best planted in late summer and fall and grown through the mild winter.
Zone and frost dates: our own calculation from NOAA NCEI records (Global Summary of the Year, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020); not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Crop timing: university extension guides, listed on each crop page.