What to plant in July in zone 8
USDA zone 8 has winter lows of 10 to 20°F, a typical last spring frost around Mar 20 and first fall frost around Nov 5, roughly 230 frost-free days. July is the "peak growing season" there.
14 crops have a sowing or planting window this month, including brussels sprouts, rutabaga, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower.
Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 8 (last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 5). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.
Zone 8: planting activity through the year
For fall and winter harvests (5)
Sowings counted back from zone 8's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.
| Crop | What to do | Window | This month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels Sprouts | Start transplants for fall | Jul 6 – Jul 23 | Jul 6 – Jul 23 |
| Rutabaga | Sow for a fall crop | Jul 20 – Aug 6 | Opens Jul 20 |
| Broccoli | Start transplants for fall | Jul 27 – Aug 13 | Opens Jul 27 |
| Cabbage | Start transplants for fall | Jul 27 – Aug 13 | Opens Jul 27 |
| Cauliflower | Start transplants for fall | Jul 27 – Aug 13 | Opens Jul 27 |
Harvesting in July
First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.
Peak growing season: July garden jobs in zone 8
- Water deeply two or three times a week rather than a little every day - about an inch a week, more in heat. See watering a vegetable garden.
- 16 weeks until the average first frost (November 5). Fall crops start now: brussels sprouts, rutabaga, broccoli, cabbage. See the fall and winter garden guide.
- Check the undersides of leaves twice a week - catching pests early is most of the battle (pest identification guide).
- Harvest often: potato, sweet corn, bell pepper, southern pea (cowpea) should be coming in. Picking regularly keeps beans, squash and cucumbers producing.
Questions gardeners ask
What can I plant in zone 8 in July?
14 crops have a window in July: brussels sprouts, rutabaga, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and more. The tables above give the exact dates for each.
When are the last and first frost in zone 8?
The typical last spring frost is around Mar 20 and the first fall frost around Nov 5. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.
What can I harvest in zone 8 in July?
From plantings made on time: potato, sweet corn, bell pepper, southern pea (cowpea), brussels sprouts, sunflower, lima bean, edamame (soybean), tomatillo, chili pepper.
July in states with land in zone 8
Zone 8 in other months
What to plant in July in other zones
Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.