North Carolina growing guide: zones, seasons and where to sell
How NC's mountains, Piedmont and coast change planting dates, and where small farms sell.
Not yet expert-reviewed. Written by BAU Farm Intelligence from public extension and agency sources. Check dates and program details with your local extension office.
Tax and grant program names checked against official state websites by BAU staff (October 2026). This is a fact check, not an expert review.
Three regions, three calendars
North Carolina runs from Zone 6 in the mountains to Zone 8 on the coast. A planting date that works in Wilmington is weeks early in Boone. Use the state calendar for your county's zone.
Seasons
Most of the Piedmont gets a spring and a fall vegetable season. Summer heat in July and August is the slow period for cool-season crops.
Where to sell
Farmers markets, CSAs, restaurants and regional wholesale buyers. The NC Department of Agriculture runs state farmers markets in Raleigh, Charlotte, Colfax, Asheville and Lumberton.
Help nearby
Every county has an NC Cooperative Extension office. Call them before you try a new crop.