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What Can Grow in Alabama?

Growing Zone Zone 8a
Frost-Free Days 288
Last Frost mid-February
First Frost early December

Alabama has a humid subtropical climate with long hot summers and mild winters. Most of the state supports year-round cool-season growing and a long warm season for vegetables.

Find your exact zone:
Alabama spans 3 different growing zones. The planting calendar below uses the most common zone (Zone 8a). Use the search above or browse all zones here:
Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b

📅 Planting Calendar for Alabama

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 6 – May 1
🥦 Artichoke Jan 1 Feb 15 — May 11 – May 26
🥬 Arugula — — Feb 15 Mar 8 – Mar 27
❤️ Beets — — Feb 15 Apr 6 – Apr 26
🫑 Bell Pepper Jan 1 Feb 15 — Apr 26 – May 16
🥬 Bok Choy Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 1 – Apr 16
🥒 Bottle Gourd (Lauki / Doodhi) Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 6 – Apr 26
🥦 Broccoli Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – May 6
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Jan 1 Feb 15 — May 16 – Aug 14
🥬 Cabbage Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 26 – Jun 15
🥕 Carrot — — Feb 15 Apr 26 – May 6
🥔 Celeriac Jan 1 Feb 15 — Jun 5 – Jun 15
🍒 Cherry Tomato Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 11 – Apr 26
🌶️ Chili Pepper Jan 1 Feb 15 — Apr 21 – May 6
🥬 Collard Greens Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – May 6
🌽 Corn — — Feb 15 Apr 16 – May 16
🥒 Cucumber Jan 25 Feb 15 — Apr 6 – Apr 26
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Feb 15 Apr 26 – May 21
🍆 Eggplant Jan 1 Feb 15 — Apr 21 – May 6
🫘 Fava Beans — — Feb 15 May 6 – May 26
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Feb 15 Apr 21 – May 16
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫚 Ginger Jan 1 Feb 15 — Oct 13 – Dec 12
🫘 Green Beans — — Feb 15 Apr 6 – Apr 21
🍬 Ground Cherry Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 26 – May 11
🥬 Kale Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 11 – May 1
🥬 Kohlrabi Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 1 – Apr 16
🧅 Leek Jan 1 Feb 15 — May 26 – Jul 15
🥬 Lettuce — — Feb 15 Mar 17 – Apr 16
🥒 Luffa (Turai / Ridge Gourd) Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 26 – May 16
🌱 Microgreens — — Feb 15 Feb 22 – Mar 8
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Feb 15 Mar 17 – Mar 27
🌶️ Okra Jan 25 Feb 15 — Apr 6 – Apr 21
🧅 Onion Jan 1 Feb 15 — May 16 – Jun 15
🥕 Parsnip — — Feb 15 May 26 – Jun 25
🫛 Peas — — Feb 15 Apr 11 – Apr 26
🥔 Potato — — Feb 15 Apr 26 – Jun 15
🎃 Pumpkin Jan 25 Feb 15 — May 1 – May 26
🔴 Radish — — Feb 15 Mar 9 – Mar 17
🥔 Rutabaga — — Feb 15 May 16 – May 31
🫛 Snap Peas — — Feb 15 Apr 16 – Apr 26
🥬 Spinach — — Feb 15 Mar 27 – Apr 6
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Feb 15 May 16 – Jun 15
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Feb 15 Apr 6 – Apr 16
🫚 Taro (Arbi / Colocasia) Jan 1 Feb 15 — Jul 15 – Sep 3
🫑 Tomatillo Jan 4 Feb 15 — May 1 – May 26
🍅 Tomato Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – May 11
🟡 Turmeric (Haldi) Jan 1 Feb 15 — Oct 13 – Dec 12
🫛 Turnip — — Feb 15 Apr 1 – Apr 16
🫛 Yard-Long Beans (Snake Beans) Jan 25 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – May 6
🥬 Zucchini Jan 25 Feb 15 — Apr 1 – Apr 16
🌿 Basil Jan 18 Feb 15 — Mar 17 – Apr 16
🌳 Bay Laurel — — Feb 15 Aug 14 – Feb 15
💙 Borage — — Feb 15 Apr 6 – Apr 16
🌿 Cilantro — — Feb 15 Mar 8 – Apr 1
🌿 Dill — — Feb 15 Mar 27 – Apr 16
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Feb 15 Mar 7 – Mar 17
🌿 French Tarragon — — Feb 15 Apr 16 – May 16
🌼 German Chamomile — — Feb 15 Apr 16 – May 16
🍃 Lemon Balm Jan 4 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – Apr 26
🌿 Parsley — — Feb 15 Apr 26 – May 16
🌿 Stevia Jan 1 Feb 15 — Apr 16 – May 6
🍉 Watermelon Jan 18 Feb 15 — Apr 26 – May 16
🌻 Sunflower — — Feb 15 Apr 16 – May 6

Dates are averages based on Zone 8a frost dates (last frost: mid-February, first frost: early December). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 8 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →

Browse Related Zones

Zone 6b Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b Zone 9a Zone 9b

Frequently Asked Questions

Alabama has a humid subtropical climate with long hot summers and mild winters. Most of the state supports year-round cool-season growing and a long warm season for vegetables. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets all grow well here.
Your long 288-day season means you can often fit two or three successions of warm-season crops. Plant after mid-February; in hot summers, shade cloth helps cool-season crops.
Top vegetables for Alabama: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Banana, Blackberry, Blueberry all grow well in Alabama. Zone 8a is excellent for most temperate fruits.