What to plant in December — zone 8a
Zone 8a averages its last spring frost around March 30 and its first fall frost around November 15. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Plan & order
- Inventory and order seedaround Dec 8
Sort what you already have, toss anything over 3 years old, and order early while varieties are in stock.
- Map this year's bedsaround Dec 15
Rotate families off last year's ground — nightshades, brassicas and cucurbits each move to a new bed.
- Soil testaround Dec 22
A $20 test now tells you what to amend before planting instead of guessing all season.
Dormant care
- Sharpen and oil toolsaround Dec 29
Clean, sharpen and oil blades while there's time — dull tools bruise plants and slow you down.
Turn this into your own calendar
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