When to plant sunflowers in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, sow outdoors March 29 to April 19.
The zone 8a schedule for sunflowers
- Sow outdoors
- March 29 to April 19
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 14
- First harvest, roughly
- May 18 to July 18
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 sunflowers.
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
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 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 20 | — |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Mar 16 to Apr 6 | — |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Mar 26 to Apr 16 | — |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Mar 15 to Apr 5 | — |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Mar 28 to Apr 18 | — |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 20 | — |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 21 | — |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 20 | — |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Mar 17 to Apr 7 | — |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Mar 24 to Apr 14 | — |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 20 | — |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Mar 21 to Apr 11 | — |
How to grow sunflowersAll zonesSunflowers in zone 7bSunflowers in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
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