USDA zone 8a in Georgia
USDA plant hardiness zone 8a covers 44 locations across Georgia (average annual extreme minimum 10 to 15 °F): Athens-Clarke County, GA, Atlanta, GA, Atlanta, GA, Atlanta, GA, Augusta-Richmond County, GA, Baldwin, GA, and 38 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges February 27 (Augusta-Richmond County) to April 14 (Clermont), and growing seasons run 192–283 days (Clermont to Augusta-Richmond County) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Georgia location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Baldwin, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8a10 to 15 °F
- Last frost range
- Feb 27–Apr 14avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 25–Dec 4avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 192–283days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County | Winterville, Arnoldsville, Crawford | Athens Ben Epps Ap | Mar 23 | Nov 10 | 232 |
| Atlanta | South Fulton, Marietta, Douglasville, Mableton, Smyrna, Lithia Springs, +3 more | Atlanta Fulton Co Ap | Mar 24 | Nov 8 | 231 |
| Atlanta | Roswell, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Marietta, Tucker, +21 more | Atlanta Peachtree Ap | Mar 25 | Nov 9 | 228 |
| Atlanta | South Fulton, Fayetteville, Panthersville, Morrow, Hapeville, Conley | Atlanta Hartsfield Intl Ap | Mar 15 | Nov 20 | 252 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | — | Augusta Daniel Fld Ap | Feb 27 | Dec 4 | 283 |
| Baldwin * | Lula, Mount Airy, Demorest, Alto | Cornelia | Mar 30 | Nov 6 | 222 |
| Buckhead | — | Siloam 3n | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 226 |
| Calhoun | Adairsville, Shannon, Trion, Resaca, Kingston, Berry College, +2 more | Rome R B Russell Ap | Mar 29 | Nov 3 | 219 |
| Canton | Dawsonville, Jasper, Ball Ground, Talking Rock, Fairmount, Waleska, +2 more | Jasper 1 Nnw | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 221 |
| Carrollton | Villa Rica, Bremen, Tallapoosa, Mount Zion, Temple, Graham, +4 more | Carrollton | Mar 28 | Nov 5 | 222 |
| Cartersville | Taylorsville | Cartersville Ap | Apr 5 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| Cartersville | Fairmount, White | Cartersville | Apr 11 | Oct 26 | 197 |
| Cedartown | Lindale, Rockmart, Cave Spring, Buchanan, Aragon | Cedartown | Mar 30 | Nov 4 | 219 |
| Chatsworth | Resaca, Eton, Conasauga | Chatsworth 2 | Apr 2 | Nov 1 | 212 |
| Chattahoochee Hills | Newnan, Hogansville, Grantville, Whitesburg | Newnan 7 Wnw | Apr 3 | Nov 2 | 214 |
| Clermont | — | Cleveland | Apr 14 | Oct 25 | 192 |
| Comer | Colbert, Ila | Danielsville | Mar 29 | Nov 7 | 224 |
| Commerce | Homer, Maysville, Carnesville, Gillsville | Commerce 4 Nnw | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 222 |
| Dahlonega | Clarkesville | Helen | Apr 11 | Oct 28 | 197 |
| Dalton | — | Dalton | Apr 2 | Nov 4 | 214 |
| Dalton | Fort Oglethorpe, LaFayette, Chattanooga Valley, Rock Spring, West Brow | Chickamauga 2 Sw | Mar 25 | Nov 9 | 232 |
| Elberton | Bowman, Dewy Rose, Carlton | Elberton 2 N | Apr 6 | Oct 30 | 209 |
| Experiment | Williamson | Experiment | Mar 20 | Nov 13 | 239 |
| Gainesville | Dahlonega, Oakwood, Clermont | Gainesville | Mar 27 | Nov 12 | 231 |
| Gainesville | Buford, Braselton, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Pendergrass, Talmo | Gainesville Gilmer Ap | Mar 20 | Nov 14 | 239 |
| Hamilton | — | Columbus Metro Ap | Mar 5 | Nov 23 | 265 |
| Hardwick | — | Milledgeville | Mar 25 | Nov 9 | 231 |
| Holly Springs | — | Allatoona Dam 2 | Apr 2 | Nov 4 | 215 |
| Jackson | Rutledge, Flovilla, Juliette, Newborn, Jenkinsburg, Shady Dale, +1 more | Monticello | Apr 4 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| LaGrange | Greenville | La Grange 1n | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 221 |
| LaGrange | Huguley, Pine Mountain | W Pt | Mar 26 | Nov 9 | 229 |
| Lawrenceville | Loganville, Auburn, Dacula, Bethlehem, Grayson | Winder 4s | Apr 3 | Nov 7 | 219 |
| Lexington | — | Lexington | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 221 |
| Macon-Bibb County | — | Macon Middle Ga Rgnl Ap | Mar 21 | Nov 10 | 235 |
| Madison | Bostwick, Bishop | Watkinsville 5 Sse | Mar 24 | Nov 12 | 234 |
| Manchester | Shiloh, Warm Springs | Talbotton | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 216 |
| Marietta | Woodstock, Kennesaw, Acworth, Emerson, Dallas, Powder Springs, +2 more | Dallas 7 Ne | Apr 2 | Nov 4 | 218 |
| McDonough | Locust Grove, Conyers, Porterdale | Mcdonough 5 Ene | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 220 |
| Milton | Buford, Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Cumming | Cumming 2n | Apr 4 | Nov 4 | 214 |
| Monroe | Bogart, Good Hope | U Of Ga Plt Sci | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Peachtree | Newnan, Tyrone, Brooks, Luthersville, Turin, Sharpsburg, +4 more | Atlanta | Mar 26 | Nov 6 | 226 |
| Rome | — | Rome | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 217 |
| Stonecrest | Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton, Irondale | Jonesboro | Mar 25 | Nov 12 | 235 |
| Tallulah Falls | Tiger | Clayton 1 Ssw | Apr 10 | Oct 29 | 203 |
* Baldwin is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Baldwin, representative)
Computed from Baldwin's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Georgiazone 8a group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Jun 5 – Jun 25 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | Jun 12 – Jul 12 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 26 – Jun 15 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 21 – Jun 5 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 26 – Jun 5 | Sep 7 – Sep 17 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 29 – Jun 28 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 6 – May 21 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 16 – May 1 | Aug 24 – Sep 8 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 12 – Apr 27 | Aug 14 – Aug 29 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 28 – Apr 7 | Sep 3 – Sep 13 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | May 8 – May 28 | Aug 4 – Aug 24 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 26 – May 16 | Aug 9 – Aug 29 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Baldwin's own 222-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Baldwin)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00092283. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 12 | Apr 30 | Oct 28 | Nov 9 | 199 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 30 | Apr 14 | Nov 6 | Nov 25 | 222 |
| 28°F | Mar 18 | Apr 4 | Nov 18 | Dec 10 | 248 |
| 24°F | Mar 1 | Mar 25 | Dec 2 | Jan 1 | 277 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 44 locations is 4,988; Baldwin's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 4,158 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 7,014 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8a in Georgia
Zone 8a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 10 to 15 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. Georgia spans 5 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Georgia locations for the full range, including zones7a, 7b, 8b, 9a.
Explore zone 8a in other states at zone 8a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 8a mean in Georgia?
- Zone 8a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 10 to 15 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 44 locations in Georgia fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Georgia's zone 8a is the growing season longest?
- Augusta-Richmond County runs the longest season on this page at about 283 days; Clermont is shortest at about 192 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Georgia's zone 8a?
- Using Baldwin's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 2 – Feb 16, then transplant outside about Apr 6 – Apr 13. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in Georgia's zone 8a have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 44 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.