When to plant tomatoes in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, start tomatoes indoors February 15 to March 1 and plant out April 12 to 26. For a fall crop, plant July 25 to August 1.
The zone 8a schedule for tomatoes
- Start seeds indoors
- February 15 to March 1
- Plant out
- April 12 to 26
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- April 12
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 14
- First harvest, roughly
- June 3 to July 25
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 25 to August 1
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 tomatoes.
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
Tomatoes 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 tomatoes
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant tomatoes where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Tomatoes in zone 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 15 to Mar 1 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Feb 8 to 22 | Apr 5 to 19 |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Feb 26 to Mar 12 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Feb 7 to 21 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Feb 17 to Mar 3 | Apr 14 to 28 |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 20 to Mar 6 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Feb 16 to Mar 2 | Apr 13 to 27 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 20 to Mar 6 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Apr 15 to 29 |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Feb 9 to 23 | Apr 6 to 20 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 15 to Mar 1 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Feb 13 to 27 | Apr 10 to 24 |
How to grow tomatoesAll zonesTomatoes in zone 7bTomatoes in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
Sources
- Tomato (HGIC 1323) · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Easy Gardening: Tomatoes (EHT-043) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Garden Notes GN 154) · UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers (E-545) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables · University of Maryland Extension