Zone 8 Planting Guide: When to Plant Vegetables in USDA Zone 8
USDA hardiness zone 8 (8a and 8b) covers places where the coldest winter night averages 10 to 20°F. This guide times seed-starting, transplanting, and fall planting for a typical zone 8 last frost of Mar 24 and first fall frost of Nov 10. Plant cool-season crops in fall and late winter; summer heat can stall tomatoes in midsummer.
About these dates: Timings are counted from your average last spring frost date, which is only an average — a frost can still occur after it. Dates vary within a state by elevation, distance from water, and microclimate. Look up the frost date for your ZIP code (your state Cooperative Extension office or NOAA climate normals are good sources) and adjust for the current season’s weather and soil temperature.
Zone 8 frost dates
| Earliest 10% of ZIPs | Typical (median) | Latest 10% of ZIPs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last spring frost (32°F) | Mar 9 | Mar 24 | Apr 7 |
| First fall frost (32°F) | Oct 31 | Nov 10 | Nov 20 |
Frost dates: medians of the nearest NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals station (32°F, 50% probability) for each ZIP code in zone 8 (5,253 ZIPs). Zones: USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP data, PRISM Climate Group (Oregon State University); this is a summary, not the official USDA map. Your local dates can differ by weeks — use the ZIP planner or frost-date tables.
What to plant each month in zone 8
| Month | What to plant (typical zone 8 timing) |
|---|---|
| January | Start indoors: broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kale, peppers, tomatoes |
| February | Direct sow: lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach Start indoors: basil, marigolds, zinnias Plant sets/transplants: onions Plant seed potatoes: potatoes Transplant: broccoli, cabbage, kale |
| March | Direct sow / transplant: marigolds, zinnias Transplant: basil, tomatoes Direct sow: beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, sweet corn |
| April | Transplant: eggplant, peppers |
| August | Fall transplant: broccoli, cabbage |
| September | Fall sow: kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach |
| October | Fall plant bulbs: daffodils, tulips |
| November | Fall plant cloves: garlic |
Zone 8 planting calendar (23 crops)
Dates assume the typical zone 8 frost dates above; shift them with your own. Timing relative to frost:
| Plant | Task | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Basil | Start indoors | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Basil | Transplant | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Beans | Direct sow | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Broccoli | Start indoors | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Broccoli | Transplant | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Broccoli | Fall transplant | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cabbage | Start indoors | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Cabbage | Transplant | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Cabbage | Fall transplant | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cucumbers | Direct sow | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Daffodils | Fall plant bulbs | Oct 13 – Nov 24 |
| Eggplant | Start indoors | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Eggplant | Transplant | Apr 7 – Apr 14 |
| Garlic | Fall plant cloves | Nov 10 – Dec 8 |
| Kale | Start indoors | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Kale | Transplant | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Kale | Fall sow | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Lettuce | Direct sow | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Lettuce | Fall sow | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Marigolds | Start indoors | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Marigolds | Direct sow / transplant | Mar 24 – Mar 31 |
| Onions | Plant sets/transplants | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Peas | Direct sow | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Peppers | Start indoors | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Peppers | Transplant | Apr 7 – Apr 14 |
| Potatoes | Plant seed potatoes | Feb 24 – Mar 10 |
| Pumpkins | Direct sow | Mar 31 – Apr 14 |
| Radishes | Direct sow | Feb 17 – Mar 10 |
| Radishes | Fall sow | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Spinach | Direct sow | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Spinach | Fall sow | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Squash | Direct sow | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Sweet corn | Direct sow | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Tomatoes | Start indoors | Jan 27 – Feb 10 |
| Tomatoes | Transplant | Mar 31 – Apr 7 |
| Tulips | Fall plant bulbs | Oct 27 – Dec 8 |
| Zinnias | Start indoors | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Zinnias | Direct sow / transplant | Mar 24 – Apr 7 |
Cool-season vs warm-season crops in zone 8
- Cool-season (peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, kale, onions, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, garlic): tolerate light frost; plant in early spring and again late summer–fall.
- Warm-season (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, basil, marigolds, zinnias): frost-tender; plant after the last frost once soil warms.
States with large zone 8 areas
South Carolina · Mississippi · Alabama · North Carolina · Georgia · Arkansas · Texas · Washington · Oregon · Louisiana · Virginia · Maryland · New Mexico · Arizona · Tennessee · Oklahoma
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in zone 8?
Across ZIP codes in USDA zone 8, the median last spring frost (32°F) at the nearest NOAA station is about Mar 24, with most falling between Mar 9 and Apr 7. Hardiness zones measure winter lows, not frost dates, so look up your ZIP for a local date.
What are zone 8 winter temperatures?
USDA zone 8 means an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 10 to 20°F (1991–2020), split into 8a (colder half) and 8b.
When should I plant tomatoes in zone 8?
Transplant tomatoes about 1–2 weeks after your last frost (typical zone 8: around Mar 31), once nights stay above 50°F. Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost.
Which states are in zone 8?
Large parts of South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Washington fall in zone 8 on the 2023 USDA map. Check your ZIP code, since zones vary within states.
Other zone guides
Zone 3 · Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 7 · Zone 9 · Zone 10 · Zone 11 · Zone map · Frost dates