Summer squash 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: excellent

Summer squash is well suited to Zone 9a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors

March 4 – March 25

Expected first harvest

April 30 – May 28

Fall planting window

September 22 – October 13

Fall harvest window

November 18 – December 16

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 9a

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 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.

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