Gulf South Vegetable Planting Calendar (LA, MS, AL): What to Plant Now
Month-by-month planting calendar for the Gulf South. 159 crops with sow windows for a humid subtropical climate.
This is our Gulf South vegetable planting calendar for coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and southeast Georgia. It starts with what vegetables to plant now in the Gulf South, then goes through the whole year, with planting windows set for a climate that is humid subtropical, across USDA zones 8a to 9b. Further down you will find a sowing chart for popular vegetables, local timing notes, frost dates by ZIP code and a season-by-season guide, all from the same data that runs the Planting Season app. This is a first-pass calendar built from regional extension guidance and under local review, so treat it as a strong first draft.
Monthly Planting Calendar
The Gulf South (coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and southeast Georgia, USDA 8a-9b) is humid subtropical with two growing seasons split by a hot, wet summer. A spring planting goes in after the last frost (around March), and a big fall planting carries cool-season crops through the short, mild winter. Summer (June to August) is the off-season for most vegetables apart from heat-lovers like okra and sweet potato. The calendar overlaps closely with North Florida. These windows are a first-pass estimate from regional extension guidance and are being reviewed locally.
Month-by-month vegetable planting calendar for the Gulf South
Every vegetable in our Gulf South calendar, grouped by the month you can sow or plant it. Each month links to its full page with herbs, fruit and flowers.
| Month | Vegetables to sow or plant | Count |
|---|---|---|
| January | Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Daikon, Fava Beans, Garlic, Globe Artichoke, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Peas, Potato, Radish, Shallot, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sunchoke, Tatsoi, Turnip | 28 |
| February | Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Garlic, Globe Artichoke, Green Onion, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Sunchoke, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 43 |
| March | Amaranth, Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Carrot, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Ginger, Green Onion, Lettuce, Luffa (Loofah), Malabar Spinach, Okra, Popcorn, Pumpkin, Squash, Sweet Corn, Swiss Chard, Taro, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turmeric, Watermelon, Winged Beans, Zucchini | 29 |
| April | Amaranth, Bell Pepper, Brazilian Spinach, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Ginger, Green Onion, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Pumpkin, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Taro, Tomato, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Watermelon, Winged Beans, Yardlong Beans, Zucchini | 33 |
| May | Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Ginger, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Taro, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Yardlong Beans | 17 |
| June | Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Water Chestnut, Yardlong Beans | 14 |
| July | Amaranth, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Malabar Spinach, Okra, Pumpkin, Tomato | 8 |
| August | Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Bush Beans, Carrot, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomato, Zucchini | 15 |
| September | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Daikon, Edamame, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Garlic, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Squash, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress, Winged Beans, Zucchini | 52 |
| October | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Garlic, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 48 |
| November | Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Daikon, Fava Beans, Garlic, Green Onion, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Radish, Rhubarb, Shallot, Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip | 25 |
| December | Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Daikon, Fava Beans, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Radish, Snow Peas, Spinach, Tatsoi, Turnip | 20 |
Gulf South vegetable sowing chart
36 popular crops, with the months you can sow or plant them in the Gulf South. Shaded months are open planting windows, and the last column spells them out. Where our data says a crop is set out as transplants, the window is the transplanting window.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Sow or plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Bell Pepper | Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Chili Pepper | Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Eggplant | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Zucchini | Mar to Apr and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Squash | Mar to Apr and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Cucumber | Mar to Apr and Jul to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | Mar to Apr and Jul | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Corn | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Bush Beans | Mar to Apr and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Peas | Jan to Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Snow Peas | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Okra | Mar to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Southern Peas | Apr to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Lettuce | Feb to Mar and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Spinach | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Swiss Chard | Feb to Apr and Sep to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Kale | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Collard Greens | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Broccoli | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Cabbage | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Cauliflower | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Carrot | Aug to Mar | ||||||||||||
| Beet | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Radish | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Turnip | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Onion | Sep to Jan | ||||||||||||
| Garlic | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Potato | Jan to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Potato | Apr to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Basil | Mar to Apr and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Cilantro | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Parsley | Feb to Apr and Sep to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Strawberry | Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Watermelon | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Cantaloupe | Mar to Apr |
Local timing notes for the Gulf South
Where timing in the Gulf South needs explaining, our data carries a local note. These are the same notes the Planting Season app shows for this region, and they explain the shape of the chart above.
- Tomato (Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug): Set out transplants from mid March, after the last frost, or in July or August for a fall crop.
- Bell Pepper (Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug): Set out transplants from mid March, after the last frost, or in July or August for a fall crop.
- Chili Pepper (Mar to Apr and Jul to Aug): Set out transplants from mid March, after the last frost, or in July or August for a fall crop.
- Eggplant (Mar to Apr and Aug): Set out transplants from mid March, after the last frost, or in August for a fall crop.
Browse by Category
Frost dates, climate and USDA zones in the Gulf South
The climate in the Gulf South is humid subtropical. Across the region the average last spring frost falls around February 25 and the first fall frost around December 1, which leaves a growing season of about 279 days for frost-tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and basil. Those are regional midpoints: a frost pocket, a slope or a warm wall can shift your own dates by weeks.
Frost is local, so here is what the ZIP code records show for a few places across coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and southeast Georgia:
- New Orleans (70112): typical last spring frost February 1; typical first fall frost December 31; a growing season of about 330 days.
- Baton Rouge (70801): typical last spring frost February 28; typical first fall frost November 26; a growing season of about 272 days.
- Mobile (36602): typical last spring frost February 21; typical first fall frost December 6; a growing season of about 292 days.
- Gulfport (39501): typical last spring frost February 18; typical first fall frost December 14; a growing season of about 300 days.
- Savannah (31401): typical last spring frost March 2; typical first fall frost November 30; a growing season of about 270 days.
Enter your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup for your typical last and first frost. ZIP code figures come from the nearest weather station in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, at the 50 percent probability level, so in one year out of two the last frost comes later.
USDA hardiness zones: our Gulf South region spans zones 8a to 9b. Your zone tells you which perennials, shrubs and fruit trees survive a normal winter; it does not tell you when to sow, which is why this calendar follows frost dates and summer heat instead. Zone pages: zone 8a, zone 8b, zone 9a, zone 9b.
Gulf South planting seasons: a season-by-season guide
The calendar above, read by season. Counts and crop lists come straight from the Gulf South planting windows, so they change only when our data changes.
Spring in the Gulf South (March to May)
40 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in spring. Planting windows that open: in March, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 15 more; in April, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Brazilian Spinach, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, New Zealand Spinach, Peanuts, Sorghum, Water Chestnut and 1 more. Last chance before the season ends: March for Lettuce, Carrot, Bitter Melon, Chayote, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn and Tomatillo; April for Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 6 more. You can keep sowing Okra, Amaranth, Ginger, Malabar Spinach, Taro and Turmeric through every month of it.
Summer in the Gulf South (June to August)
30 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in summer. Planting windows that open: in July, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cucumber and Pumpkin; in August, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Bush Beans, Carrot, Bitter Melon, Chayote, Edamame, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn and 1 more. Last chance before the season ends: June for Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Brazilian Spinach, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, New Zealand Spinach, Peanuts, Sorghum, Water Chestnut and 1 more; July for Pumpkin, Okra, Amaranth and Malabar Spinach.
Fall in the Gulf South (September to November)
54 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in fall. Planting windows that open: in September, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower and 36 more; in October, Rhubarb and Shallot. Last chance before the season ends: September for Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Bush Beans, Edamame and Winged Beans; October for Peas, Lettuce, Collard Greens, Arugula, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Celeriac, Chicory, Endive & Escarole, Fennel (Herb) and 13 more. You can keep sowing Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Garlic, Bok Choy and 9 more through every month of it. Fall is also garlic planting time here; see how to grow garlic.
Winter in the Gulf South (December to February)
44 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in winter. Planting windows that open: in January, Peas, Potato, Asparagus, Globe Artichoke, Horseradish, Mizuna, Shallot and Sunchoke; in February, Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Collard Greens, Arugula, Broccolini, Chicory, Endive & Escarole, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) and 6 more. Last chance before the season ends: January for Onion. You can keep sowing Snow Peas, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Garlic, Bok Choy, Celery, Daikon and 5 more through every month of it.
Growing Guides
In-depth guides for the most popular crops and techniques. These guides adapt to your region.
Free Monthly Planting Calendar
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Open the App →Planting calendars for other US regions
Gardening somewhere else? Each region has its own planting windows, frost dates and month pages. For every region side by side, see what vegetables to plant now across the US, or find your region by ZIP code.
- North Florida vegetable planting calendar
North Florida: USDA zones 9a to 9b, frost window February 15 to December 5. - Central Florida vegetable planting calendar
Central Florida: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - South Florida vegetable planting calendar
South Florida: USDA zones 10a to 11a, effectively frost free. - Desert Southwest vegetable planting calendar
Desert Southwest: USDA zones 7a to 10a, frost window February 5 to December 5. - Texas vegetable planting calendar
Texas: USDA zones 8a to 10a, frost window March 1 to November 28. - Southern California vegetable planting calendar
Southern California: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - Mid-South vegetable planting calendar
Mid-South: USDA zones 7a to 8b, frost window April 10 to October 25. - Pacific Northwest vegetable planting calendar
Pacific Northwest: USDA zones 6b to 9a, frost window March 25 to November 15. - Northeast & New England vegetable planting calendar
Northeast & New England: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 10 to October 15. - Mid-Atlantic vegetable planting calendar
Mid-Atlantic: USDA zones 6b to 8a, frost window April 15 to October 25. - Midwest & Great Lakes vegetable planting calendar
Midwest & Great Lakes: USDA zones 5a to 7a, frost window April 30 to October 15. - Upper Midwest & Northern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Upper Midwest & Northern Plains: USDA zones 3b to 5a, frost window May 15 to September 25. - Mountain West vegetable planting calendar
Mountain West: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 5 to September 30. - Southern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Southern Plains: USDA zones 5b to 7b, frost window April 10 to October 30. - Northern California vegetable planting calendar
Northern California & Central Valley: USDA zones 7b to 10a, frost window February 28 to November 17. - Hawaii vegetable planting calendar
Hawaii: USDA zones 11b to 12b, effectively frost free. - Alaska vegetable planting calendar
Alaska: USDA zones 1b to 7b, frost window May 15 to September 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the main planting season in the Gulf South?
There are two: a spring planting after the last frost (roughly March) and a larger fall planting from late August through October that carries crops into the mild winter. Summer is the off-season for most vegetables.
What can I grow in a Gulf South summer?
Stick to heat-lovers: okra, sweet potato, southern (cow) peas, Malabar spinach and amaranth. Most other vegetables pause until the fall planting.
How accurate are these dates?
They are a careful first pass based on regional extension calendars and the North Florida analog. We are reviewing them with local sources before this region is finalized.
What vegetables can I plant now in the Gulf South?
It depends on the month. Going by our Gulf South calendar, in spring (Mar to May) you can sow Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash and Cucumber; in summer (Jun to Aug) you can sow Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Okra, Amaranth and Malabar Spinach; in fall (Sep to Nov) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale and Collard Greens; in winter (Dec to Feb) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower. The What to plant in the Gulf South now section at the top of this page always shows the current month, and each month page lists every crop.
When is the last frost in the Gulf South?
Across the Gulf South the average last spring frost is around February 25 and the first fall frost around December 1, a growing season of about 279 days. ZIP code records for New Orleans (70112) give a typical last spring frost of February 1 and a first fall frost of December 31. Check your own ZIP code with the Frost Lookup.
When should I plant tomatoes in the Gulf South?
Our Gulf South calendar has tomatoes planted in March to April and July to August. Set out transplants from mid March, after the last frost, or in July or August for a fall crop. More in how to grow tomatoes.
When should I plant garlic in the Gulf South?
Our Gulf South calendar has garlic planted in September to February. More in how to grow garlic.