What to Plant in October in Zone 8
Here is what you can sow in October if you garden in USDA zone 8. Dates use typical zone 8 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only point to seeds and gear we would use ourselves. See our full affiliate disclosure.
| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| CilantroCalypso | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Lettuce, romaineChalupa | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Lettuce, headButtercrunch | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| SpinachBloomsdale | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 20 |
| ArugulaAstro | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Mustard GreensFlorida Broadleaf | fall | Aug 20 – Oct 1 |
| RadishCherry Belle | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| GarlicMusic | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| Fava Bean (Broad Bean)Broad Windsor | fall | Oct 15 – Nov 22 |
| Bok ChoyJoi Choi F1 | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 6 |
| Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Zamboni F1 | fall | Aug 22 – Oct 1 |
| TatsoiTatsoi | fall | Aug 22 – Oct 6 |
| MizunaMizuna Early | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 11 |
| Daikon RadishMiyashige | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 6 |
| SorrelProfusion | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 16 |
| WatercressCommon | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 16 |
| ShallotAmbition | fall | Oct 25 – Nov 29 |
| Strawberry, day-neutralAlbion | fall | Sep 16 – Oct 16 |
| DillFernleaf | fall | Sep 13 – Oct 25 |
| ChervilCurled | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| Strawberry, June-bearingHoneoye | fall | Sep 16 – Oct 16 |
| Lettuce | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Onion | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| Calendula (Pot Marigold)Resina | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | fall | Sep 16 – Nov 5 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
Zone 8 in October
Fall Still Wide Open
A Season That Doesn't Rush to Close
This month's table holds close to 30 crops, roughly double what a closing-out month usually looks like elsewhere. With six or more weeks still standing between now and the season's first hard frost, this is still a real planting month, not just a table of last chances.
Garlic, fava bean, and shallot start their long overwintering run this month. Break bulbs apart right before planting and discard any clove smaller than a quarter, since undersized cloves rarely bulk into a full head; set the good ones pointed end up, roughly 2 inches down and 6 inches apart.
Garlic still needs 6 to 8 weeks with soil holding under 40 degrees to divide properly into cloves, and a mild zone 8 winter can come up short on that count in some years. Hold off on a heavy mulch layer until real cold actually settles in; insulating the bed too early only works against the chill this crop is counting on.
Quick Greens Still Have Time
Chervil and mache both do well started this month; both germinate in cool soil and tolerate a light frost without any protection, which fits a month still weeks away from the first real cold snap.
Roughly 20 other crops on this month's table are a last chance rather than a fresh start, mostly the fast salad greens and roots sown in September. Get anything left on that list in during the first two weeks to leave enough runway before frost.
Onion bulb sets going in now are aimed at next summer's storage crop, not a quick harvest. Expect them to sit through winter doing very little visible growth before bulbing kicks in as days lengthen in spring.
Cress and mache both handle a light frost without any cover at all, two of the hardiest quick greens on the whole yearly list, part of why this month's table stays so wide instead of narrowing sharply.
October in zone 8: common questions
What can I plant in October in zone 8?+
In October, USDA zone 8 gardeners can sow Cilantro, Lettuce, leaf, Lettuce, romaine, Lettuce, head, Spinach, Arugula, and more. Dates use typical zone 8 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 8 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these October planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 8 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.