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When to plant pumpkins in zone 8b

In zone 8b, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 17, start pumpkins indoors March 3 to 17 and plant out March 31 to April 14.

The zone 8b schedule for pumpkins

Start seeds indoors
March 3 to 17
Plant out
March 31 to April 14
Sow outdoors
March 31 to April 14
Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
April 6
First harvest, roughly
June 9 to July 13

From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,613 ZIP codes in zone 8b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for pumpkins.

Frost risk in zone 8b

Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 8b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 5 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 3 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from November 2 to November 24. For a typical place in the zone:

  • February 25Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
  • March 17Typical: frost after this date in half of years
  • April 6Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

Pumpkins 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 pumpkins

Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant pumpkins 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

Pumpkins in zone 8b cities

CityTypical last frostStart indoorsPlant out
San Antonio, TXFeb 26Feb 12 to 26Mar 12 to 26
Dallas, TXMar 2Feb 17 to Mar 3Mar 17 to 31
Fort Worth, TXMar 11Feb 26 to Mar 12Mar 26 to Apr 9
El Paso, TXMar 2Feb 21 to Mar 7Mar 21 to Apr 4
Las Vegas, NVJan 20Feb 13 to 27Mar 13 to 27
Virginia Beach, VAMar 29Mar 25 to Apr 8Apr 22 to May 6
Arlington, TXMar 9Feb 23 to Mar 9Mar 23 to Apr 6
Plano, TXMar 7Feb 22 to Mar 8Mar 22 to Apr 5
Irving, TXMar 2Feb 17 to Mar 3Mar 17 to 31
Garland, TXMar 7Feb 22 to Mar 8Mar 22 to Apr 5
Frisco, TXMar 18Mar 4 to 18Apr 1 to 15
McKinney, TXMar 18Mar 4 to 18Apr 1 to 15

How to grow pumpkinsAll zonesPumpkins in zone 8aPumpkins in zone 9aAbout zone 8b

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