Watermelon 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

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

Key dates

Start seeds indoors

January 28 – February 11

Direct-seed or transplant outdoors

March 11 – April 1

Expected first harvest

June 11 – July 9

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: 36″
Row spacing: 96″
Seed depth: 1″
Soil temperature: 75–95°F
Frost tolerance: tender
Days to harvest: 85 days

Grower notes for Zone 9a

Ripeness cue: tendril nearest the fruit turns brown and the ground spot yellows. Do not go by thumping alone.

Plant near: corn, radish

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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