When to plant watermelons in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, start watermelons indoors March 8 to 22 and plant out April 12 to 26.
The zone 8a schedule for watermelons
- Start seeds indoors
- March 8 to 22
- Plant out
- April 12 to 26
- Sow outdoors
- April 12 to 26
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- April 12
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 14
- First harvest, roughly
- June 11 to July 25
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 watermelons.
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
Watermelons 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 watermelons
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant watermelons where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Watermelons in zone 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 8 to 22 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Mar 1 to 15 | Apr 5 to 19 |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Mar 19 to Apr 2 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Feb 28 to Mar 14 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Mar 10 to 24 | Apr 14 to 28 |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 13 to 27 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Mar 9 to 23 | Apr 13 to 27 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 13 to 27 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Mar 11 to 25 | Apr 15 to 29 |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Mar 2 to 16 | Apr 6 to 20 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 8 to 22 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Mar 6 to 20 | Apr 10 to 24 |
How to grow watermelonsAll zonesWatermelons in zone 7bWatermelons in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
Sources
- Growing Watermelon in the Home Garden · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- How to Grow Watermelon in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Watermelon (HGIC factsheet) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021) · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension