When to plant in South Carolina
Most of South Carolina sees its last spring frost between Mar 7 and Apr 8, and its first fall frost between Nov 1 and Nov 27. The middle of the state is around March 23 and November 11: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in South Carolina: 8a (39%), 8b (50%), 9a (11%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 18 – Sep 10 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 5 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 23 – Sep 15 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 3 – Jul 22 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 29 – Aug 7 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jul 13 – Aug 17 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 3 – Jul 15 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Apr 10 – May 15 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 23 – Jul 21 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 9 – May 21 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 21 – May 2 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Kale | Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 19 – Jul 12 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 1 – Jun 5 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 4 – Jun 8 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 11 – Jun 22 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Beet | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 26 – Jun 7 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Radish | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 27 – Jul 1 | — |
| Garlic | — | Nov 4 – Nov 25 (fall) | May 25 – Jun 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 31 – Jul 5 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jul 22 – Aug 19 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jul 7 – Aug 11 | — |
| Basil | Feb 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 9 – Aug 15 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 20 – May 18 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Jun 28 – Aug 2 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in South Carolina. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around South Carolina
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 8b | Mar 13 | Nov 19 |
| Greenville | 8a | Mar 28 | Nov 7 |
| Charleston | 9a | Mar 10 | Nov 30 |
| Spartanburg | 8a | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
| Beaufort | 9a | Mar 3 | Dec 9 |
| Myrtle Beach | 8b | Mar 18 | Nov 18 |
| Anderson | 8a | Mar 29 | Nov 11 |
| Florence | 8b | Mar 19 | Nov 13 |
| Aiken | 8b | Mar 19 | Nov 14 |
| Hilton Head Island | 9b | Mar 3 | Dec 9 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.