When to plant zucchini in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, start zucchini indoors March 15 to 29 and plant out April 12 to 26. For a fall crop, plant August 15 to 29.
The zone 8a schedule for zucchini
- Start seeds indoors
- March 15 to 29
- 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
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 15 to 29
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 zucchini.
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
Zucchini 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 zucchini
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant zucchini where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Zucchini in zone 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 15 to 29 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Mar 8 to 22 | Apr 5 to 19 |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Mar 7 to 21 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Mar 17 to 31 | Apr 14 to 28 |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 20 to Apr 3 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Mar 16 to 30 | Apr 13 to 27 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 20 to Apr 3 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | Apr 15 to 29 |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Mar 9 to 23 | Apr 6 to 20 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 15 to 29 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Mar 13 to 27 | Apr 10 to 24 |
How to grow zucchiniAll zonesZucchini in zone 7bZucchini in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
Sources
- Summer Squash (HGIC factsheet) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Summer and Winter Squash in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Squash in Iowa · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Summer Squash (Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations, section F) · University of Maryland Extension
- Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720) · Colorado State University Extension
- Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Squash, and Melons (Fact Sheet 7.609) · Colorado State University Extension
- Fall Vegetable Gardening (G1343) · University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (VH021), Table 1 · University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension