When to plant sunflowers in zone 7b
In zone 7b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 5, sow outdoors April 5 to 26.
The zone 7b schedule for sunflowers
- Sow outdoors
- April 5 to 26
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 21
- First harvest, roughly
- May 25 to July 25
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,025 ZIP codes in zone 7b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sunflowers.
Frost risk in zone 7b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 30 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 17 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 24 to November 18. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 5Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 21Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Sunflowers 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 sunflowers
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant sunflowers where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Sunflowers in zone 7b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Apr 6 to 27 | — |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Mar 31 to Apr 21 | — |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 21 | — |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | Apr 4 to 25 | — |
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | Apr 6 to 27 | — |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 21 | — |
| Newark, NJ | Apr 2 | Apr 7 to 28 | — |
| Jersey City, NJ | Apr 2 | Apr 7 to 28 | — |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Apr 20 to May 11 | — |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Apr 4 to 25 | — |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | Apr 3 to 24 | — |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 8 | Apr 8 to 29 | — |
How to grow sunflowersAll zonesSunflowers in zone 7aSunflowers in zone 8aAbout zone 7b
Sources
- Dakota Gardener: Grow a bouquet in 60 days · NDSU Extension (North Dakota State University)
- Growing Sunflowers in the Home Garden (Circular 1121) · University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
- Let's Grow Sunflowers · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- How to sow sunflowers in successful succession · Mississippi State University Extension
- How to Grow Sunflowers (Garden Notes GN 166) · UC ANR Cooperative Extension Sacramento County Master Gardeners
- Sunflowers · UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions
- Flowers to Plant in Florida: Text (month-by-month calendar for North, Central and South Florida) · UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions
- Flower Planting Guide for the Low Desert (AZ1100) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
- Sowing Annual Seeds · Penn State Extension
- May 21, 2005 Timely Tips (Bexar County gardening calendar) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County