What to Plant in February in Zone 8: Cool Crops, Fruit, and Cover Crops
In USDA zone 8, February opens cool-season greens, roots, brassicas, peas, and dormant fruit around mid-month, with cover crops and flowers on the same wi...
Published by ThriveThyme
February Zone 8 February zone 8 spring planting cool-season crops fruit trees
What to Plant in February in Zone 8
In USDA zone 8, February opens the spring cool-season window. Most greens, roots, brassicas, peas, onions, cool herbs, and flowers start about February 15. Dormant fruit trees and berries share that mid-February start through about March 20. Fig opens a few days later (about February 20).
Typical last frost for zone 8 averages around March 25. Confirm with the first-frost lookup and the first frost guide. Also check the zone 8 February calendar and what to plant now.
Cool-Season Vegetables
From about February 15, sow or transplant:
- Greens: lettuce (including butterhead, red leaf, and romaine), spinach, arugula, kale, collards, Swiss chard, bok choy. Lettuce, spinach, kale.
- Roots: radish, beet, turnip, parsnip, carrot (carrot runs into early May). Radish, beet, carrot.
- Brassicas: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi. Broccoli, cabbage.
- Peas, sugar snap peas, celery, leeks, and onions while February-April windows fit. Pea.
Cover Crops and Cool Herbs
Crimson clover, hairy vetch, oats, and winter peas open about February 15 with the cool-season block. Cool herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, mint, lemon balm, chervil, and peppermint share the same start. Crimson clover, winter peas, parsley.
Fruit and Flowers
Plant dormant apple, peach, pear, blueberry (including northern highbush and rabbiteye), blackberry, raspberry, strawberry (including June-bearing), and table grape from about February 15 to March 20. Fig starts about February 20. Cool flowers on the February 15 window include pansy, snapdragon, sweet pea, and breadseed poppy. Apple tree, blueberry, fig tree.
Next Steps
Start cool-season beds mid-month, set dormant fruit while soil is workable, and sow cover crops where beds will rest. Compare December zone 8, February zone 9, and February zone 10.