What to plant in February — zone 8b
Zone 8b averages its last spring frost around March 20 and its first fall frost around November 25. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Dormant care
- Pre-sprout seed potatoesaround Feb 6
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Tomatoaround Feb 6
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Feb 6
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Feb 6
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Feb 6
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Feb 6
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Feb 20
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
- Cucumberaround Feb 27
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Trellis vertically to double yield in the same footprint and cut mildew.
- Zucchiniaround Feb 27
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). One plant feeds a family. Pick at 6-8 in for the sweetest fruit.
- Winter squasharound Feb 27
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Cure 10 days in a warm dry spot after harvest — the skin toughens and storage doubles.
- Watermelonaround Feb 27
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Ripe = tendril nearest the fruit is brown and the ground spot has turned buttery yellow.
- Cantaloupe / Melonaround Feb 27
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (03-20). Ripe fruit slips off the vine with a gentle tug — the smell alone tells you.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Feb 6
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Kalearound Feb 27
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Broccoliaround Feb 27
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Chivesaround Feb 27
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Feb 27
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Feb 13
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Feb 20
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
- Peaaround Feb 13
Soil is ready -5 weeks before last frost.
- Lettucearound Feb 20
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Spinacharound Feb 20
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Radisharound Feb 20
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Carrotaround Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Kalearound Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Beetaround Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Onionaround Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Broccoliaround Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Chivesaround Feb 27
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
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