Zone 8 vegetable planting calendar
Average frost dates and when to start, transplant and sow common vegetables in USDA zone 8 (8a and 8b) for the 2027 season.
Last spring frost (avg.)
Mar 20
First fall frost (avg.)
Nov 10
Growing season
~235 days
frost-free
Month by month in zone 8
December
- Start indoors: Onion
January
- Start indoors: Tomato
- Start indoors: Pepper
- Start indoors: Eggplant
- Start indoors: Broccoli
- Start indoors: Cabbage
February
- Transplant out: Broccoli
- Transplant out: Cabbage
- Transplant out: Onion
- Start indoors: Lettuce
- Sow outdoors: Lettuce
- Sow outdoors: Spinach
- Sow outdoors: Peas
- Sow outdoors: Radish
- Sow outdoors: Carrot
- Sow outdoors: Potato
- Start indoors: Cucumber
- Start indoors: Squash & zucchini
- Start indoors: Basil
March
- Transplant out: Tomato
- Sow outdoors: Bush beans
- Sow outdoors: Sweet corn
- Sow outdoors: Cucumber
- Sow outdoors: Squash & zucchini
- Transplant out: Basil
April
- Transplant out: Pepper
- Transplant out: Eggplant
Planting dates by crop
Tomato
- Start indoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
- Transplant out
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Pepper
- Start indoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
- Transplant out
- Apr 3 – Apr 17
Eggplant
- Start indoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
- Transplant out
- Apr 3 – Apr 17
Broccoli
- Start indoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
- Transplant out
- Feb 27 – Mar 13
Cabbage
- Start indoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
- Transplant out
- Feb 20 – Mar 6
Onion
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Transplant out
- Feb 20 – Mar 6
Lettuce
- Start indoors
- Feb 6 – Feb 20
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 20 – Mar 13
Spinach
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 6 – Feb 27
Peas
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 6 – Feb 20
Radish
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 20 – Mar 13
Carrot
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 27 – Mar 20
Potato
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 27 – Mar 13
Bush beans
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Sweet corn
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Cucumber
- Start indoors
- Feb 20 – Feb 27
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Squash & zucchini
- Start indoors
- Feb 20 – Feb 27
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Basil
- Start indoors
- Feb 6 – Feb 20
- Transplant out
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Other zones
Turn these dates into reminders
Smart Garden Planner keeps your seed-starting, transplant and harvest dates on one calendar with morning reminders.
Frost dates are broad averages for zone 8 and can differ by several weeks locally. Planting windows follow common extension seed-starting guidance. Check your local extension office for exact dates.