When to plant swiss chard in USDA Zone 8a

Plan your swiss chard planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

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

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
February 21 – March 7
Direct-seed or transplant outdoors
February 28 – March 21
Expected first harvest
May 1 – May 29
Fall planting window
August 20 – September 10
Fall harvest window
October 21 – November 18

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
10″
Row spacing
18″
Seed depth
0.5″
Soil temperature
50–75°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
55 days

Grower notes for Zone 8a

Cut-and-come-again crop. A spring planting can produce well into fall with cool weather and consistent water.

Plant near: beans, onions

Keep away from: corn

Other leafy greens 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.