When to plant beets in USDA Zone 8b

Plan your beets 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.

Charleston SC, Savannah, Mobile, Austin, Jacksonville. Average last spring frost March 15, first fall frost November 15 — a 245-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Beets is well suited to Zone 8b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
February 15 – March 8
Expected first harvest
April 18 – May 16
Fall planting window
August 30 – September 20
Fall harvest window
October 31 – November 28

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
3″
Row spacing
12″
Seed depth
0.5″
Soil temperature
50–75°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
55 days

Grower notes for Zone 8b

Each seed cluster contains multiple embryos — thin ruthlessly to 3 inches or roots stay small.

Plant near: onions, brassicas, lettuce

Keep away from: pole beans

Other root crops for Zone 8b

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.