Zone 8b planting calendar

What to plant in October: zone 8b

A rule-of-thumb starting point for zone 8b: last spring frost around March 20, first fall frost around November 25. Zones are set by winter lows, not frost dates, so two gardens in the same zone can be weeks apart. Measure your ZIP below for dates from your area's own 30-year record.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.
Typical last frost: March 20
Typical first frost: November 25
Winter lows: 15 to 20 °F
Zone 8b Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Direct sow for fall

  • Beetaround Oct 1

    Counts back 55 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

  • Dillaround Oct 1

    Counts back 45 days from your first frost. Frost-tender: must finish before frost.

  • Spinach2 sowings: Oct 6 and Oct 27

    Succession sowing 2 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Lettucearound Oct 6

    Counts back 50 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

  • Radish2 sowings: Oct 9 and Oct 23

    Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 14 days for a steady cut. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Cilantroaround Oct 11

    Counts back 45 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.

Transplant for fall

  • Broccoliaround Oct 2

    Last safe transplant date to mature (65 days) before frost on 11-25.

  • Kalearound Oct 12

    Last safe transplant date to mature (55 days) before frost on 11-25.

Sow cover crop

Plant to overwinter

  • Onionaround Oct 28

    In zone 7+ onion sets planted before frost overwinter for an early summer bulb.

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