Summer squash planting calendar for USDA Zone 8a

Wilmington NC, Columbia SC, Atlanta, Dallas, Norfolk. Average last spring frost March 28, first fall frost November 5 — a 222-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent

Summer squash is well suited to Zone 8a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors

April 4 – April 25

Expected first harvest

May 31 – June 28

Fall planting window

August 27 – September 17

Fall harvest window

October 23 – November 20

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing: 24″
Row spacing: 48″
Seed depth: 1″
Soil temperature: 70–90°F
Frost tolerance: tender
Days to harvest: 50 days

Grower notes for Zone 8a

Scout for squash bugs and squash vine borer weekly starting at bloom. Row cover until first female flower.

Plant near: corn, beans, nasturtium

Keep away from: potatoes

Other cucurbits for Zone 8a

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.

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