Hardiness Zone 8 Planting Guide: What Grows and When

June 25, 2026

Zone 8 covers more ground than its single label implies. The Georgia piedmont, central Texas, coastal South Carolina, western Oregon, and parts of coastal California all carry this designation. What they share is a minimum winter temperature between 10°F and 20°F and a growing season long enough to support two cool-season cycles and a full warm-season run.

The split between Zone 8a (minimum 10°F to 15°F) and Zone 8b (minimum 15°F to 20°F) is what actually governs your planting calendar. That five-degree gap shifts the last spring frost two to four weeks earlier in 8b and extends the fall window by the same margin. Every date in this guide is keyed to the subzone. For a complete calendar built around these subzones, the Southeast Vegetable Gardening guide covers month-by-month schedules for both 8a and 8b.

Zone 8a and Zone 8b: Frost Dates and Growing Seasons

Both subzones share the USDA Zone 8 designation, but their seasonal edges behave differently.

Zone 8a

• Minimum winter temperature: 10°F to 15°F
• Last spring frost: March 15 to April 1
• First fall frost: November 1 to November 15
• Frost-free season: approximately 225 days

Zone 8b

• Minimum winter temperature: 15°F to 20°F
• Last spring frost: February 15 to March 15
• First fall frost: November 15 to December 1
• Frost-free season: approximately 245 days

Use the interactive zone locators at Zone 8a and Zone 8b to confirm which subzone applies to your address.

Cool-Season Vegetables for Zone 8

Zone 8’s cool-season window runs from late fall through early spring, while soil temperatures hold between 45°F and 65°F. The exact dates split by subzone.

Zone 8a Cool-Season Planting

• Spinach, arugula, lettuce: Direct sow February 20 to March 10; again September 1 to October 15
• Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower: Start indoors January 1 to 20; transplant February 20 to March 10
• Carrots, beets, radishes: Direct sow February 15 to March 15; again August 25 to October 1
• Peas: Direct sow February 15 to March 5 (soil above 45°F)

Zone 8a’s fall window closes sharply when the first frost arrives around November 1. Plan September sowing dates around a 60-day harvest window and choose cold-hardy varieties.

Zone 8b Cool-Season Planting

Zone 8b allows near-continuous cool-season production from late fall through early spring.

• Spinach, arugula, lettuce: Direct sow January 15 to March 1; again September 15 to November 1
• Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower: Start indoors December 15 to January 10; transplant January 20 to February 20
• Carrots, beets, radishes: Direct sow January 15 to March 1; again September 1 to November 1
• Peas: Direct sow January 1 to February 15

Lettuce is productive across both subzones. Buttercrunch and Oakleaf types tolerate light frosts and bolt slowly in Zone 8’s moderate spring temperatures.

Warm-Season Vegetables for Zone 8

Soil temperature is the primary trigger for warm-season planting. Wait for 60°F before transplanting tomatoes and peppers; 70°F before direct sowing okra.

Zone 8a Warm-Season Planting

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant: Start indoors January 20 to February 15; transplant April 1 to April 20
• Cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini: Direct sow April 5 to May 15
• Beans: Direct sow April 5 to June 1; succession-sow every three weeks
• Okra: Direct sow April 20 to June 1 (soil at 70°F or above)
• Sweet potatoes: Plant slips April 20 to June 1
• Watermelon, cantaloupe: Transplant or direct sow May 1 to June 1

Zone 8b Warm-Season Planting

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant: Start indoors January 5 to 25; transplant March 15 to April 1
• Cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini: Direct sow March 20 to May 15
• Beans: Direct sow March 25 to June 1; succession-sow every three weeks
• Okra: Direct sow April 1 to June 15 (soil at 70°F or above)
• Sweet potatoes: Plant slips April 1 to June 1
• Watermelon, cantaloupe: Transplant or direct sow April 15 to June 1

Okra is one of Zone 8’s most reliable summer crops. In Zone 8b, a second direct sowing in mid-June extends harvest well into October.

Month-by-Month Zone 8 Planting Calendar

January

Zone 8a: Start broccoli, onions, and leeks indoors from seed. Zone 8b: Start broccoli and onions indoors by January 10; direct sow spinach and arugula outdoors during mild stretches.

February

Zone 8a: Direct sow spinach, lettuce, and carrots after February 20. Start tomato and pepper seeds indoors by February 15. Zone 8b: Transplant broccoli and cabbage by February 20. Direct sow peas, carrots, and beets. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors by mid-February.

March

Zone 8a: Direct sow peas and beets by March 10. Last frost expected March 15 to April 1; protect any transplants from overnight lows. Zone 8b: Last frost risk ends by mid-March. Transplant tomatoes and peppers March 20 to April 1, monitoring overnight lows until fully cleared.

April

Zone 8a: After last frost, transplant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Direct sow beans, cucumbers, and squash by mid-April. Zone 8b: Direct sow cucumbers, squash, and beans from April 1. Begin okra seeds when soil reads 70°F.

May

Both zones: Beans, cucumbers, and squash in active growth. Plant basil after soil temperature stabilizes above 60°F. Zone 8a: Continue okra sowing into early June. Zone 8b: Plant sweet potato slips. Succession-sow beans every three weeks.

June

Both zones: Okra and sweet potatoes are the primary planting focus. Cool-season crops are finished for spring. Apply 3 inches of mulch to moderate soil temperature and conserve moisture.

July and August

Both zones: Harvest warm-season crops. Sow a fall round of beans by August 1 (Zone 8a) or August 15 (Zone 8b). Start broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seeds indoors August 1 to 10 for September transplanting.

September

Zone 8a: Transplant fall brassicas by September 1 to 15. Direct sow carrots, beets, spinach, and lettuce by September 10. Zone 8b: Transplant fall brassicas by September 10 to 25. Direct sow carrots and spinach from September 15.

October

Zone 8a: Direct sow spinach and lettuce through October 1. Plant garlic October 15 to November 1. Zone 8b: Continue direct sowing through mid-October. Plant garlic October 20 to November 15.

November and December

Zone 8a: Harvest fall crops before first frost (November 1 to 15). Row covers extend harvest two to three weeks past frost. Zone 8b: Continue harvesting through late November. Sow cold-hardy greens for December production. Peas can go in late November in mild years.

Herbs, Fruits, and Ornamentals for Zone 8

Perennial herbs

Rosemary overwinters without protection in both subzones. Lavender performs well in well-drained soil and struggles in heavy clay. Chives, oregano, and thyme are reliably perennial across Zone 8. Basil is an annual: sow indoors four weeks before last frost, then plant out after soil warms above 60°F.

Fruits

Zone 8 suits figs, blueberries (rabbiteye varieties for the Southeast, highbush for the Pacific Northwest), blackberries, grapes, and strawberries. Most stone fruits need 300 to 700 chill hours, a threshold Zone 8 meets in most winters, though Zone 8b borderlines in warm years.

Warm-season ornamentals

Zinnias, marigolds, and sunflowers direct sow after last frost in both zones. Snapdragons and sweet peas can go in as early as February in Zone 8b, extending the color window several weeks before summer heat ends their season.

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Compliance notes for EIC review:

• 5 internal links (at ceiling): /books/southeast-vegetable-gardening/ (para 2 inline CTA, italicized), /zones/8a/, /zones/8b/ (frost dates section), /plants/lettuce/ (cool-season 8b H3), /plants/okra/ (warm-season 8b H3). All confirmed against valid_internal_urls.
• No em-dashes anywhere, including meta description and frontmatter.
• No Related Reading section needed; 5 body links satisfy the 3–5 requirement.
• Book CTA target: /books/southeast-vegetable-gardening/ chosen as the most representative Zone 8 book. Zone 8 is a multi-subzone post, so this is the strongest single-region match; if EIC prefers /books/ landing page instead, that slug is also in the valid list and a one-line swap.
• Permalink discrepancy: used the task-specified permalink (/blog/hardiness-zone-8-planting-guide-what-grows-and-when/), not the brief’s SEO recommendation (/blog/zone-8-planting-guide/). Flag to EIC if the brief’s URL should take precedence.

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