When to plant green beans in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, sow outdoors April 12 to 26. For a fall crop, plant August 15 to 22.
The zone 8a schedule for green beans
- Sow outdoors
- April 12 to 26
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- April 12
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 14
- First harvest, roughly
- June 1 to July 5
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 15 to 22
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,584 ZIP codes in zone 8a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for green beans.
Frost risk in zone 8a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 8a, the typical last frost ranges from about March 18 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 7 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 31 to November 16. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 9Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- March 29Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 14Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Green Beans are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for green beans
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant green beans where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Green Beans in zone 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Apr 12 to 26 | Aug 11 to 18 |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Apr 5 to 19 | Aug 24 to 31 |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Apr 23 to May 7 | Aug 29 to Sep 5 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Apr 4 to 18 | Aug 28 to Sep 4 |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Apr 14 to 28 | Aug 16 to 23 |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Apr 17 to May 1 | Aug 13 to 20 |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Apr 13 to 27 | Aug 12 to 19 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Apr 17 to May 1 | Aug 13 to 20 |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Apr 15 to 29 | Aug 31 to Sep 7 |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Apr 6 to 20 | Aug 16 to 23 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Apr 12 to 26 | Aug 18 to 25 |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Apr 10 to 24 | Aug 18 to 25 |
How to grow green beansAll zonesGreen Beans in zone 7bGreen Beans in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
Sources
- How to Grow Beans in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Beans in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021) · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Home Garden Beans (HGV-8) · University of Hawaii CTAHR
- GN 154: Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Harrington emergence table) · UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- The Fall Vegetable Garden (HO-66-W) · Purdue University Extension
- Fall Vegetable Gardening (SPES-801) · Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Growing Vegetables in Containers · University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension