Zone 9a planting schedule
Zone 9a covers places where the coldest night of an average winter falls between 20 to 25 °F. Here is what that means for frost dates and planting, month by month.
- Average winter low
- 20 to 25 °F
- Typical first frost
- Nov 23
- Last frost, most towns
- Feb 25 to Mar 13
- Frost-free season
- about 266 days
Middle values among the 210 towns of 10,000 people or more in zone 9a (our calculation, NOAA 1991-2020).
Where zone 9a is
Zone 9a towns are most common in Washington, Texas, California, Oregon, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. Its biggest cities include San Antonio, TX; Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Tacoma, WA. 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 Feb 25 and Mar 13. Use your own town's dates when you can.
| City | Last frost | First frost | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio, TX | Feb 26 | Nov 28 | 277 d |
| Austin, TX | Feb 20 | Dec 3 | 291 d |
| Seattle, WA | Mar 8 | Nov 23 | 259 d |
| Portland, OR | Mar 13 | Nov 19 | 247 d |
| Tacoma, WA | Mar 11 | Nov 21 | 254 d |
| Baton Rouge, LA | Feb 25 | Nov 26 | 276 d |
| Tallahassee, FL | Mar 11 | Nov 21 | 255 d |
| Mobile, AL | Feb 21 | Dec 6 | 292 d |
| Vancouver, WA | Mar 29 | Nov 9 | 223 d |
| Roseville, CA | Feb 22 | Nov 24 | 277 d |
| Palmdale, CA | Mar 18 | Nov 15 | 241 d |
| Bellevue, WA | Mar 8 | Nov 23 | 259 d |
Zone 9a planting calendar, month by month
Counted from the zone's typical frost dates. January is the busiest month for planting outside, with 23 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 | Zinnias, Marigolds, Herbs, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Okra, Basil | Blueberries, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Lilies, Roses, Fruit Trees, Trees, Apple Trees, Cherry Trees, Potatoes, Onions, Peas, Carrots, Radishes, Beets, Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Turnips, Leeks | |
| February | Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe | Strawberries, Wildflowers, Raspberries, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Hostas, Herbs, Hydrangeas, Broccoli, Lettuce, Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Celery, Dill, Parsley | Radishes, Spinach |
| March | Sunflowers, Summer Bulbs, Zinnias, Marigolds, Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Eggplant, Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Basil | Potatoes, Peas, Lettuce, Carrots, Beets, Kale, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Turnips, Basil | |
| April | Onions, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Swiss Chard, Okra | ||
| May | Tomatoes, Peppers, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Leeks, Eggplant | ||
| June | Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes | ||
| July | |||
| August | Irises, Broccoli, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Zucchini (Summer Squash), Green Beans, Carrots, Radishes, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Collard Greens, Bok Choy | ||
| September | Strawberries, Wildflowers, Hostas, Herbs, Trees, Hydrangeas, Peas, Beets, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Turnips | ||
| October | Daffodils, Tulips, Blueberries, Lilies, Peonies, Hyacinths, Crocus, Ornamental Alliums, Garlic, Shallots | ||
| November | Onions, Leeks | Rhubarb, Fruit Trees, Apple Trees, Crape Myrtles | |
| December | Peppers, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Eggplant, Parsley |
Fall plantings are listed with the month they go in. Ranges for each crop are on its page.
What grows well in zone 9a
With about 266 frost-free days, zone 9a 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.