Zone 8 Planting Schedule | 2024 (2024)

Hardiness Zone 8 – Planting Months

This planting calendar schedule will take you through each month of the year, for zone 8.

For those of you in the UK and Europe, this guide can be applied. If you are on a different continent, the conditions will vary, as it can be tropical or dry heat.

Planting zones are areas of hardiness. A planting guide, that enables us to know when to plant vegetables, fruit, and flowers.

Each area within a zone has similar growing conditions, this standardization gives us a good guide to what we can grow and when to grow.

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US Zones + Temperatures

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UK Hardiness Zones

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Essential Gardening Equipment

Soil pH Testing

You need to make sure that you accurately test your soil to give your plants the best chance.

We use and recommend this 4 in 1 hygrometer to measure soil moisture, pH levels, nutrients, and light conditions at the same time.

Seeds

Here’s a list of more than 200 seeds that are customer favorites for Zone 8.

Germination

The best way to germinate your seeds so that they have a great start is with a germination kit. Seeds that are grown this way produce greater results.

Spade

A trusted spade is a gardener’s best friend, it helps you do the work. A long-handled spade is the most effective type.

Gardening Tool Set

For the finer work in the garden, we need those handy tools to help us cultivate. One that you can carry around in the garden is best.

Greenhouse

Every advanced gardener has a greenhouse and with so many benefits how can we do without. The acceleration and growth rate when using a greenhouse is worth the cost.

See also What Soil Do I Need To Grow Vegetables?

Dehydrating

One of the issues people have is that their crops produce all at once. The best way to overcome this is with a dehydrator so you can store your food for years and the flavor is amazing.

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JanuaryPlanting Zone 8

Temperature: 10 to 20 F (-7 to -12 Celsius)

Indoors: Parsley, onion, leeks, and celery. At the end of January, you can also add broccoli, kale, peppers, and cabbage.

Seeding: If the soil is ready, you can sow carrots, radishes, and beets (make sure to protect them).

Flowers: Pansies, poppies, Nigella and Calendula

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February Planting Zone 8

Temperature:10 to 30F (-12 to -1 Celsius)

Indoors: Kale, peppers, tomatoes, squash, basil, and melons

Seeding: Beets, carrots, onion, lettuce, peas, radishes, turnips, spinach, parsley, kale, and potatoes

At this point, you might want to protect the vegetables in polytunnels, with farmer’s fabric and similar.

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March Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 51 to 74 F (10 to 23 Celsius)

Indoors: Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

Seeding: Chives, rosemary, potatoes, thyme, asparagus, carrots, beets, lettuce, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips, and Swiss chard.

End of March (seeding), you start with pepper and tomato seedlings, cucumbers, corn, and squash (if the conditions are favorable). It’s better to harden them in a tunnel or greenhouse before planting outdoors.

The veggies planted at the end of March, still need to be protected with farmer’s fabric or in a polytunnel.

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April Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 50 to 72 F (10 to 22 Celsius)

Seeding: Bush and pole beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, watermelons, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, and squash. Transplant peppers and tomatoes outside.

See also What Containers Are Safe To Grow Vegetables In?

Tips:

Eggplants grow well with peas, beans, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and spinach.

Squash and watermelon, are good companions for corn and beans.

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May Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 57 to 78 F (14 to 26 Celsius)

Seeding: Beans, melons, squash. Planting tomatoes, peppers and sweet potatoes outside.

Flowers: Marigolds, sunflowers, cosmos, verbena, zinnia, tithonia, and Nicotiana.

Plant: Citrus trees and berry bushes.

Harvesting: Spinach, lettuce, and radishes.

Tips: Prune trees after they finished flowering. Keep a close watch at any fungal problems (due to the rainy season).

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June Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 58 to 87 F (15 to 31 Celsius)

Seeding: Tomatoes, corn, melons, cucumbers, and beans.

Harvest: Asparagus, beans, spring cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, young onions, peas, spinach, early potatoes, chard, and kohlrabi.

It’s very important to water regularly in these periods (in case there is not enough rain). Especially in zones 9 and 10.

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July Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 78 to 104 F (26 to 41 Celsius)

Seeding: Beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, squash, pumpkins, arugula, beets, broccoli, dill, cilantro, kale, spinach, summer lettuce, and Brussels sprouts.

Harvesting: Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, runner beans, and zucchini.

Make sure you regularly water to prevent drought, add mulch, and straw to help retain water.

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August Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 82 to 104 F (28 to 40 Celsius)

This information is for zones 7 and 8;

Seeding: Beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, early corn, early cucumber, lettuce, kale, early peppers, spinach, early tomatoes, squash, and onions.

Harvesting: Tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, and eggplants.

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September Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 60 to 81 F (15 to 27 Celsius)

Harvesting: Onions, apples, tomatoes, beans, raspberries, zucchini, and potatoes.

See also What Size Pot Do I Need to Grow Vegetables

Seeding: Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, beets, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas, squash and Brussels sprouts, beans, cauliflower, and kale. Cabbage, broccoli, and squash are better when started from seedlings.

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October Planting Zone 8

Temperatures: 64 to 89 F (18 to 32 Celsius)

Indoor: Basil, chives, oregano, parsley, and thyme.

Seeding: Asters, Dianthus, Celosia, garlic, grass, blueberries, flower bulbs, and winter lettuce.

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November Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 52 to 76 F (11 to 25 Celsius)

In zone 8 you can still plant fruit trees.

Seeding: If you are using a greenhouse or a tunnel, you can plant; cabbage, broccoli, spinach, beets, carrots, peas, kale, strawberries, and winter lettuce.

Harvesting: If you have any tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers left, make sure you harvest them.

Clean up the leaves, so you can use them as mulch or compost later.

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December Planting Zone 8

Temperature: 45 to 67 F (7 to 20 Celsius)

Seeding: Onions, beets, radishes, spinach, leafy greens, and chives – (protect them). Flowers: Verbena, pansies, daises, and petunias.

Plant: Trees, roses, and shrubs.

Harvesting: Kale, Brussels sprouts, leeks, winter cabbage, and parsnips.

When root veggies grow over winter, they develop a sweeter flavor.- Remove rotten veggies and plants to prevent pests and disease.

For more information about Planting Zones visit;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone

https://gilmour.com/planting-zones-hardiness-map

Zone 8 Planting Schedule | 2024 (2024)

FAQs

What crops grow best in Zone 8? ›

Sow seeds outdoors for the following crops as soil and weather conditions permit: asparagus, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, onion sets, parsnips, peas, radishes, spinach, and turnips.

When to start seeds for zone 8? ›

For spring and summer crops, zone 8 vegetable gardening can start as early as the first days of February. That's the time to start seeds indoors for cool weather vegetables. Be sure to get your seeds early so that you can follow the vegetable planting guide for zone 8.

How do I make a planting schedule? ›

A planting schedule can be created by determining the first frost date and then working backwards. This will help figure out the best planting date for whatever you are growing. The goal is to ensure a plant has enough time to mature before the first frost of the year.

What is the difference between zone 8a and 8b? ›

Zone 8's minimum average temperatures, like the other USDA zones, are ten degrees warmer than those of Zone 7. It's also divided into two subzones: 8a and 8b. The minimum average temperature of Zone 8a is 10-15° Fahrenheit, and the minimum average temperature of Zone 8b is 15-20° Fahrenheit.

What fruit grow best in zone 8a? ›

However, because of the mild winters, zone 8 fruit trees also include some warmer climate and tropical fruits like:
  • Oranges.
  • Grapefruit.
  • Bananas.
  • Figs.
  • Lemons.
  • Limequat.
  • Tangerines.
  • Kumquats.
Apr 13, 2021

When to plant tomatoes in zone 8? ›

Zone 8 can enjoy fall tomatoes by planting seeds in early August or transplants in late August/early September. Zones 9, 10, & 11 can enjoy fall tomatoes by planting either seeds or transplants throughout September. If you're unsure of your growing zone, you can find it here.

When to plant potatoes in zone 8? ›

That is why it is important to plant potatoes early in the season when soil is still cool. Potatoes need at least 100 to 120 days for adequate production. Zone 8 potato growing usually commences in early spring, but you can also plant in midsummer for a fall crop.

Is it better to plant seeds in the morning or at night? ›

Sowing means planting a seed or putting the seed in the soil. Sow seeds early in the morning so the water has enough time to permeate the soil and get warm throughout the day. You can do it in the evening but make sure the seed flats stay warm overnight.

What is the first thing you should do before planting? ›

You'll want to test your soil pH and nutrients before planting. Most garden crops will prefer soil with a pH around 7, as balanced nutrient levels are important. If your soil has any deficiencies, you can address them before you start your garden.

When should I prepare ground for planting? ›

The best time for soil preparation is in autumn for clay soils and spring for light, sandy soils. Autumn digging lets the soil be further broken down by frosts and rain. But do it whenever you can. Start by digging over the soil to a depth of 37.5-45cm (15-18in) and incorporating your organic material as you go.

How do I arrange my garden with plants? ›

Place the plants with the distinct form or texture (focal plants) in locations that will lead the eye around the garden. The most common pattern is a triangle shape between three plant beds. Stagger the plants on either side of a pathway in a zigzag pattern to lead the eye forward and draw the viewer into the garden.

Where is US Zone 8? ›

For example, zone 8 covers coastal, high latitude, cool summer locations like Seattle and London, as well as lower latitude, hot-summer climates like Charleston and Madrid.

Is Texas a Zone 8? ›

Central Texas/Austin falls under USDA hardiness zone 8b, which has a minimum average temperature range of 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants rated for zones 8b or zones 7-9 can thrive in Central Texas/Austin's climate with proper care and consideration of microclimate factors like soil, water, and sunlight.

What does it mean to be in zone 8a? ›

In zone 8a, low winter temps are expected to fall within the range of 10-15°F. If your plant is labeled for zone 8a or lower, then the odds of your plant surviving the winter are good. You may need to protect the plant, however, during an unseasonably cold winter, or if it's situated in an area exposed to winter winds.

What herbs can I grow in Zone 8? ›

Best Herbs for Zone 8

Rosemary – Rosemary also likes well-draining soil and plenty of sun, as long as it gets enough water. It's hardy year-round in zone 8. Oregano – A very popular culinary herb, oregano is tough and prefers dry, poor soil and full sun. Sage – Sage likes rich soil that drains well.

Is Austin zone 8a or 8b? ›

Central Texas/Austin falls under USDA hardiness zone 8b, which has a minimum average temperature range of 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants rated for zones 8b or zones 7-9 can thrive in Central Texas/Austin's climate with proper care and consideration of microclimate factors like soil, water, and sunlight.

Which zones are the most productive for growing crops? ›

13 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the US
  • Southwest (including Arizona and New Mexico) ...
  • Appalachia (including Alabama and West Virginia) ...
  • Southeastern US (including Georgia and Florida) ...
  • Mississippi Delta. ...
  • Central Valley California. ...
  • Pacific Northwest (including Oregon and Washington)
Dec 24, 2023

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