Carrots planting calendar for USDA Zone 9a

Gainesville FL, Houston, New Orleans, southern GA coast. Average last spring frost February 25, first fall frost December 1 — a 279-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good

Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9a heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors

January 28 – February 18

Expected first harvest

April 15 – May 13

Fall planting window

September 1 – September 22

Fall harvest window

November 17 – December 15

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: 0.25″
Soil temperature: 45–75°F
Frost tolerance: hardy
Days to harvest: 70 days

Grower notes for Zone 9a

Keep soil surface moist until germination (2–3 weeks). Board over the row or light straw helps hold moisture.

Plant near: onions, leeks, tomatoes

Keep away from: dill

Other root crops for Zone 9a

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.

Join the pilot Browse resources