What to Plant in December in Zone 8: Garlic and Dormant Fruit

In USDA zone 8, December finishes the garlic window and keeps dormant fruit trees and berries plantable while cool-season sowings largely close.

Published 2026-09-22 by ThriveThyme

December Zone 8 December zone 8 fall planting garlic fruit trees

What to Plant in December in Zone 8

In USDA zone 8, December is mainly a garlic and dormant-fruit month. The catalog garlic window runs about October 20 to December 10. Apple, peach, pear, blueberry, cane berries, strawberry, grapes, and related fruit keep fall planting windows into about mid-December.

Typical first frost for zone 8 averages around mid-November, so confirm with the first-frost lookup and the first frost guide. Also check the zone 8 December calendar and what to plant now.

Finish Garlic Early

Plant remaining garlic cloves before the December 10 catalog end. Softneck types suit mild winters; plant in cool, well-drained soil. Garlic and garlic timing by zone.

Plant Dormant Fruit

While soil is workable, plant dormant trees and berries with December catalog windows: apple, peach, pear, blueberry (including rabbiteye and northern highbush), blackberry, raspberry (watch the earlier December 1 end), strawberry, and table grape. Water new plantings and mulch after soil settles. Apple tree, blueberry.

Cool-Season Crops

Most cool-season greens and roots have already closed for zone 8 by early December. Use the zone 8 December calendar before sowing; prioritize garlic and fruit instead of forcing closed vegetable windows.

Next Steps

Finish garlic, plant dormant fruit, and protect tender transplants from hard freezes. Compare November zone 8, December zone 9, and December zone 10.