USDA zone 8b in Georgia
USDA plant hardiness zone 8b covers 55 locations across Georgia (average annual extreme minimum 15 to 20 °F): Adrian, GA, Albany, GA, Appling, GA, Arlington, GA, Athens-Clarke County, GA, Augusta-Richmond County, GA, and 49 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges February 27 (Augusta-Richmond County) to April 4 (Forsyth), and growing seasons run 211–283 days (Forsyth 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 Hoschton, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8b15 to 20 °F
- Last frost range
- Feb 27–Apr 4avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Nov 1–Dec 4avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 211–283days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian | Kite | Kite | Mar 21 | Nov 8 | 233 |
| Albany | Sasser | Albany Sw Ga Rgnl Ap | Mar 8 | Nov 21 | 260 |
| Appling | Harlem, Grovetown, Dearing | Appling 2 Nw | Mar 27 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Arlington | Leary, Newton | Newton 8 W | Mar 11 | Nov 13 | 245 |
| Athens-Clarke County | Arcade, Maxeys | Athens Ben Epps Ap | Mar 23 | Nov 10 | 232 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | North Augusta, Martinez, Burnettown, Gloverville, Graniteville, Murphys Estates | Augusta Daniel Fld Ap | Feb 27 | Dec 4 | 283 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | Beech Island, Jackson | Augusta Bush Fld Ap | Mar 23 | Nov 9 | 232 |
| Barnesville | Zebulon, The Rock, Molena, Meansville | The Rock Rch | Mar 18 | Nov 14 | 239 |
| Blackshear | — | Waycross 4 Ne | Mar 15 | Nov 17 | 246 |
| Bowersville | Canon | Hartwell | Mar 20 | Nov 15 | 241 |
| Box Springs | Waverly Hall, Butler, Talbotton, Howard, Junction, Woodbury, +4 more | Talbotton | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 216 |
| College Park | Forest Park, Riverdale, Morrow | Atlanta Hartsfield Intl Ap | Mar 15 | Nov 20 | 252 |
| Concord | — | Atlanta | Mar 26 | Nov 6 | 226 |
| Cordele | Vienna, Montezuma, Pinehurst, Seville, De Soto, Lilly, +1 more | Cordele | Mar 13 | Nov 14 | 248 |
| Covington | Social Circle, Conyers, Porterdale, Oxford, Jersey, Milstead | Covington | Mar 22 | Nov 14 | 238 |
| Cusseta-Chattahoochee County | Columbus, Phenix, Cataula, Box Springs, Hamilton, Ladonia, +3 more | Columbus Metro Ap | Mar 5 | Nov 23 | 265 |
| De Soto | — | Crisp Co Pwr Dam | Mar 9 | Nov 20 | 258 |
| Dublin | Allentown, Soperton, East Dublin, Dudley, Montrose, Tarrytown, +2 more | Dublin | Mar 14 | Nov 13 | 247 |
| Eastman | McRae-Helena, Rhine, Milan, Abbeville, Alamo, Glenwood, +4 more | Eastman 1 W | Mar 5 | Nov 24 | 263 |
| Eatonton | Milledgeville, Gordon, McIntyre, Gray, Sparta | Milledgeville | Mar 25 | Nov 9 | 231 |
| Evans | Modoc, Lincolnton, Clarks Hill, Parksville | Clarks Hill 1 W | Mar 15 | Nov 18 | 252 |
| Forsyth | Monticello, Gray | Monticello | Apr 4 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| Funston | — | Moultrie 2 Ese | Mar 6 | Nov 27 | 268 |
| Georgetown-Quitman County | Shellman, Cuthbert, Edison, Bluffton, Morgan, Coleman | Cuthbert | Mar 21 | Nov 13 | 236 |
| Georgetown-Quitman County | — | Georgetown 4 E | Mar 15 | Nov 18 | 250 |
| Greensboro | White Plains, Woodville, Crawfordville, Siloam | Siloam 3n | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 226 |
| Hoschton * | — | Gainesville Gilmer Ap | Mar 20 | Nov 14 | 239 |
| Irwinton | — | Irwinton 4 Wnw | Mar 12 | Nov 19 | 255 |
| Jacksonville | — | Pridgen | Mar 12 | Nov 17 | 252 |
| Jefferson | — | Commerce 4 Nnw | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 222 |
| Jonesboro | Lovejoy | Jonesboro | Mar 25 | Nov 12 | 235 |
| Leesburg | — | Albany 3 Se | Mar 10 | Nov 20 | 257 |
| Lumpkin | — | Lumpkin 2 Se | Apr 1 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Macon-Bibb County | Warner Robins, Perry, Byron, Fort Valley, Gordon, Centerville, +7 more | Macon Middle Ga Rgnl Ap | Mar 21 | Nov 10 | 235 |
| McRae-Helena | Ailey, Lumber, Uvalda, Scotland | Hazlehurst | Mar 12 | Nov 17 | 251 |
| Metter | Stillmore | Metter | Mar 2 | Nov 27 | 269 |
| Milner | Orchard Hill, Sunny Side | Experiment | Mar 20 | Nov 13 | 239 |
| Monroe | Statham | U Of Ga Plt Sci | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Nicholson | Hull | Danielsville | Mar 29 | Nov 7 | 224 |
| Perry | Unadilla, Hawkinsville, Cochran, Pineview | Hawkinsville | Mar 20 | Nov 12 | 239 |
| Robins AFB | — | Warner Robins | Mar 11 | Nov 19 | 256 |
| Statesboro | Springfield, Newington, Pulaski, Register | Brooklet 1 W | Mar 7 | Nov 21 | 257 |
| Surrency | — | Surrency | Mar 17 | Nov 16 | 245 |
| Swainsboro | Millen, Twin, Midville, Nunez, Garfield | Midville Exp Stn | Mar 18 | Nov 11 | 237 |
| Sylvania | Portal, Rocky Ford | Rocky Ford 4se | Mar 14 | Nov 15 | 248 |
| Thomaston | Yatesville, Culloden | Thomaston 4se | Mar 23 | Nov 12 | 234 |
| Thomson | Warrenton, Mitchell, Gibson, Norwood, Camak | Warrenton | Mar 29 | Nov 7 | 225 |
| Toccoa | Martin, Avalon | Toccoa | Mar 23 | Nov 11 | 233 |
| Wadley | Louisville, Matthews, Wrens, Stapleton, Bartow, Avera | Louisville 1 E | Mar 25 | Nov 7 | 227 |
| Washington | Tignall, Rayle, Sharon | Washington 2 Ese | Mar 22 | Nov 13 | 237 |
| Waynesboro | Girard, Perkins, Sardis, Keysville | Waynesboro 2 S | Mar 21 | Nov 9 | 233 |
| Webster County | Americus, Dawson, Buena Vista, Richland, Ellaville, Smithville, +7 more | Plains Sw Ga Exp Stn | Mar 15 | Nov 17 | 249 |
| West Point | Valley | W Pt | Mar 26 | Nov 9 | 229 |
| Winder | — | Winder 4s | Apr 3 | Nov 7 | 219 |
| Wrightsville | Davisboro, Toomsboro, Harrison, Oconee, Deepstep, Warthen | Sandersville | Mar 19 | Nov 13 | 241 |
* Hoschton 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 (Hoschton, representative)
Computed from Hoschton's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Georgiazone 8b 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 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | May 26 – Jun 15 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Jun 2 – Jul 2 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | May 16 – Jun 5 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | May 11 – May 26 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | May 16 – May 26 | Sep 15 – Sep 25 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 19 – Jun 18 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 26 – May 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 6 – Apr 21 | Sep 1 – Sep 16 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 2 – Apr 17 | Aug 22 – Sep 6 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 18 – Mar 28 | Sep 11 – Sep 21 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Feb 27 – Mar 6 | Apr 28 – May 18 | Aug 12 – Sep 1 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 16 – May 6 | Aug 17 – Sep 6 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Hoschton's own 239-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 (Hoschton)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USW00053838. 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 3 | Apr 18 | Nov 3 | Nov 18 | 215 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 20 | Apr 6 | Nov 14 | Dec 4 | 239 |
| 28°F | Mar 7 | Mar 26 | Nov 30 | Dec 25 | 268 |
| 24°F | Feb 18 | Mar 15 | Dec 18 | Jan 13 | 299 |
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 55 locations is 5,678; Hoschton's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 4,904 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 7,924 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8b in Georgia
Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 15 to 20 °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, 8a, 9a.
Explore zone 8b in other states at zone 8b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 8b mean in Georgia?
- Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 55 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 8b is the growing season longest?
- Augusta-Richmond County runs the longest season on this page at about 283 days; Forsyth is shortest at about 211 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 8b?
- Using Hoschton's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Jan 23 – Feb 6, then transplant outside about Mar 27 – Apr 3. 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 8b 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 55 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.