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When to plant lettuce in zone 8a

In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, start lettuce indoors February 1 to 15 and plant out March 22 to April 5. For a fall crop, plant August 8 to September 12.

The zone 8a schedule for lettuce

Start seeds indoors
February 1 to 15
Plant out
March 22 to April 5
Sow outdoors
March 8 to 15
First harvest, roughly
April 21 to June 14
Plant for a fall crop
August 8 to September 12

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 lettuce.

Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.

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

Your dates for lettuce

Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant lettuce where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.

Enter your ZIP code

Lettuce in zone 8a cities

CityTypical last frostStart indoorsPlant out
Charlotte, NCMar 30Feb 2 to 16Mar 23 to Apr 6
Memphis, TNMar 16Jan 19 to Feb 2Mar 9 to 23
Baltimore, MDMar 24Jan 27 to Feb 10Mar 17 to 31
Atlanta, GAMar 15Jan 18 to Feb 1Mar 8 to 22
Raleigh, NCMar 28Jan 31 to Feb 14Mar 21 to Apr 4
Greensboro, NCMar 30Feb 2 to 16Mar 23 to Apr 6
Durham, NCMar 31Feb 3 to 17Mar 24 to Apr 7
Winston-Salem, NCMar 30Feb 2 to 16Mar 23 to Apr 6
Chesapeake, VAMar 17Jan 20 to Feb 3Mar 10 to 24
Huntsville, ALMar 24Jan 27 to Feb 10Mar 17 to 31
Fayetteville, NCMar 30Feb 2 to 16Mar 23 to Apr 6
Little Rock, ARMar 21Jan 24 to Feb 7Mar 14 to 28

How to grow lettuceAll zonesLettuce in zone 7bLettuce in zone 8bAbout zone 8a

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