When can you start planting flowers in North Carolina?
When's the Right Time to Plant? The general rule of thumb for the Raleigh, NC area is to plant after the last frost of the winter season, which is typically around April 15th through Mother's Day.
- Begonia. In red, peach, orange, and pink, begonias prefer shade and boast green foliage in addition to their radiant blooms.
- Flowering Tobacco. ...
- Impatiens. ...
- Calibracoa. ...
- Caladiums. ...
- Verbena. ...
- Vinca. ...
- Zinnia.
Most flowers should be planted after your region's last frost date. Planting flowers in spring is the most popular time, but perennials do fine if planted in early fall in the North and late fall in the South.
Plant seeds of the following perennials: columbine, hollyhock, coreopsis, daisy and phlox. Sweet William can also be planted this month. New rose bushes can be planted this month. Plants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower should be set out in the garden in mid-March.
You can plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and cool-season annuals, vegetables, and herbs now, as long as the ground is not too wet. But you should typically wait to plant warm-season flowers and vegetable plants until May 1st or Mother's day.
North Carolina growing zones range from 5b to 8b. Growing zones, also known as planting zones, help gardeners know what flowers, plants or vegetables will thrive in a specific region. Zones also determine which plants will be most likely to survive the winter conditions of the zone.
There are three zones (6, 7, 8) in North Carolina that increase as you move east across the state. Most of the mountains are in zone 6, while the piedmont and the northeastern coastal plain region are in zone 7. The southeast area of the state is in zone 8.
Plant Annual Flowers in March Gardens
By the end March, gardeners in frost-free regions can begin planting warm-season annuals such as angelonia, wax begonia, and zinnia. Northern gardeners can start setting out cool-season favorites such as pansy, osteospermum, and alyssum.
Carrot seeds can also be sown, as well as beetroot, kale, leeks, broccoli, horseradish, chicory, and turnips. Spring onions are also great early vegetables to plant in March, as well as spinach (make sure the soil is enriched with organic matter), peas, shallots and parsnips.
There's no question that flowers need protection from frost and freezing temperatures. Many flowering plants won't survive very long once temperatures dip below freezing and will typically die within a few hours once the mercury hits 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
What can I plant in February in NC?
Potatoes and garden peas, along with snow peas and sugar snaps, should be planted in the ground around mid-February (mid-March in the mountains). Carrots, parsnip, lettuce, spinach, mustard, rutabaga, radish, and turnip seed can be sown directly into the garden from mid-February to early April.
Spring blooming bulbs can be planted any time as long as the ground isn't frozen. Shrubs and trees can be planted, however, earlier in fall is better as it allows for best root establishment before winter. Cold tolerant perennials can be planted, but they will be more winter hardy if planted earlier in fall.
| Crop | Sow seeds indoors | Transplant seedlings into the garden |
|---|---|---|
| Eggplants | Jan 25 - Feb 8 | Apr 4 - Apr 18 |
| Gourds, Squash and Pumpkins | n/a | n/a |
| Kale | Jan 25 - Feb 8 | Mar 7 - Mar 21 |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 25 - Feb 8 | Mar 7 - Mar 21 |
April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost for all zones. It's still not too late to plant tomatoes and peppers from seeds as well! Check out the below vegetables that can be started in April. Be sure to check your gardening zone for last frost dates.
For most regions, April is the month during which the threat of frost has passed, and soil temperatures are consistently warm enough to plant a wide array of plants, from fruit and vegetable seeds to bare-root perennials, summer-blooming annuals, flowering shrubs, and flowering vines.
Since most annuals are frost tender, you'll need to wait until after the last spring frost date to transplant them into your garden.
High Point, North Carolina is in USDA Hardiness Zones 7b.
Charlotte, North Carolina is in USDA Hardiness Zones 7b and 8a.
Raleigh, North Carolina is in USDA Hardiness Zones 7b and 8a.
USDA Zone 7
The zone includes Long Island, coastal New Jersey, eastern Maryland, most of Virginia and North Carolina, western South Carolina, southern Tennessee, the northern halves of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi and much of Arkansas.
What zone is Asheville NC?
| Location | Hardiness Zone |
|---|---|
| Asheville | Zone 6b: -5°F to 0°F |
| Ashley Heights | Zone 7b: 5°F to 10°F |
| Askewville | Zone 7b: 5°F to 10°F |
| Atkinson | Zone 7b: 5°F to 10°F |
US States in Hardiness Zone 8
In North America, Zone 8 is one of the warmest zones, containing much of the southern quarter of the United States, including much of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, California, and coastal Oregon and Washington.
Vegetables you can plant in March
Leafy greens like Swiss chard, spinach, kale, collards, and lettuce. Cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Tuber vegetables, including radishes, beets, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and onions. Asparagus.
Early spring is an ideal time to plant herbaceous perennials, including Geranium, Astrantia and Oriental poppies. Plant summer-flowering bulbs.
Pretty pansies are the first flowers to be planted in spring because they withstand cold snaps. It's time to plant pansies. I do this every year in March, no matter what the weather.
You can direct seed sweet corn, pole beans, lima and snap beans, cantaloupe, cucumbers, summer squash and watermelons after April 15. Wait until the end of April to set out tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Plant blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and muscadine grapes in late March or April.
- Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials.
- Top dress containers with fresh compost.
- Mow the lawn on dry days (if needed)
- Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) grown for colourful winter stems.
- Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control early.
The most common flowers in this category include pansies, violas and flowering cabbage or kale. They can be planted as early as the fall in zones 7 and above to give your garden color through winter and into early spring. Violas are hardy down to zone 3, pansies down to zone 4.
The plants, typically summer- or early fall-blooming species, can sometimes survive night temperatures in the 40 to 50 F range. To ensure survival, it is a good idea to protect the newly planted specimens with plastic or fleece if night temperatures fall between 32 to 45 F.
Experts recommend that you bring your plants indoors when nighttime temperatures drop to 45 or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. But it may be better to act well before that, when indoor and outdoor temperatures are about the same.
Will 36 degrees hurt plants?
Light freeze - 29° to 32° Fahrenheit will kill tender plants. Moderate freeze - 25° to 28° Fahrenheit is widely destructive to most vegetation. Severe or hard freeze - 25° Fahrenheit and colder causes heavy damage to most plants.
In North Carolina, the length of the growing season varies depending location. The typical start date, or date of the last frost, ranges from March 1st - May 15th. The growing season ends on the date of the first frost of fall, which can occur between September 1st - November 30th.
| Crop | Based on Frost Dates Based on Moon Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Seeds Indoors | Plant Seedlings or Transplants | |
| Kale | Feb 7-21 Feb 7-16 | Mar 7-29 Mar 7-18 |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 21-Mar 7 Mar 2- 7 | Mar 15-22 Mar 15-18 |
| Lettuce | Feb 21-Mar 7 Mar 2- 7 | Mar 22-Apr 19 Apr 1-16 |
The general rule of thumb for the Raleigh, NC area is to plant after the last frost of the winter season, which is typically around April 15th through Mother's Day. Be sure to get your beds established before the summer heat sets in!
Plant summer bulbs such as lilies, freesia, gladiolus, and crocosmias about 1-2 weeks before your last expected spring frost, if you can provide frost protection during a cold snap. Otherwise, wait until after your last frost date. Consider planting flowers that can be dried for winter arrangements.
Pansies will thrive best if the soil temperature is between 45 and 65 degrees. This low temperature makes them perfect for April planting. Early spring flowers can bring the color and warmth of spring to your garden weeks ahead of schedule.
Perennials can be planted any time during the growing season. In fact, you can plant them right up until the ground freezes. For the best results, though, you should plant them in either the spring or the fall.
| Fruit, Herb, or Vegetable | Days to Harvest (from seed unless otherwise noted) | Distance Between Plants (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Beans, snap/bush | 50–55 | 2 |
| Beans, snap/pole | 65–70 | 6 |
| Beets | 55–60 | 2 |
| Broccoli | T = 70–80 | 18 |
Be sure to plant tomatoes when the soil has warmed to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the appropriate temperature for healthy root growth. In our area, this will depend more on the weather and less on the calendar date, although most tomatoes will be set as transplants from mid April to mid May.
When to Start Seeds. As a general rule, seeds need to be started four to six weeks before the date of the last frost. Seed starting times are calculated by taking the date of the last frost and subtracting the days until transplant.
What flowers can I plant in April in NC?
...
When's the Right Time to Plant?
- Geraniums (sun-loving)
- Petunias (sun-loving)
- Begonias (sun-loving)
- Impatiens (shade-loving)
- Zinnias.
- Coleus.
- Vinca.
- Marigolds.
| Fruit, Herb, or Vegetable | Days to Harvest (from seed unless otherwise noted) | Distance Between Plants (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Beans, snap/bush | 50–55 | 2 |
| Beans, snap/pole | 65–70 | 6 |
| Beets | 55–60 | 2 |
| Broccoli | T = 70–80 | 18 |
Plant summer annuals like begonia, geranium, marigold, petunia, and zinnia this month. The following vegetable plants can be set out this month: eggplant, pepper, tomato, and sweet potato.
Plants in Flower
Trumpet Creeper, Phlox, Butterfly Weed, Daylily, Red Hot Poker, Rose-of-Sharon, Sourwood, Crapemyrtle, Stewartia, St. John's Wort, Abelia, Peegee Hydrangea, Chaste-Tree, Canna, Dahlia, Shasta Daisy, and summer annuals.
For most regions, April is the month during which the threat of frost has passed, and soil temperatures are consistently warm enough to plant a wide array of plants, from fruit and vegetable seeds to bare-root perennials, summer-blooming annuals, flowering shrubs, and flowering vines.
How to Plant Flowers in North Carolina - YouTube
For most crops, you should start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date. In the Midwest, plant your seeds indoors in the middle to end of April. In the South, the last frost can occur as early as the beginning of February, so plant your indoor seedlines then.
Potatoes and garden peas, along with snow peas and sugar snaps, should be planted in the ground around mid-February (mid-March in the mountains). Carrots, parsnip, lettuce, spinach, mustard, rutabaga, radish, and turnip seed can be sown directly into the garden from mid-February to early April.
In North Carolina, the length of the growing season varies depending location. The typical start date, or date of the last frost, ranges from March 1st - May 15th. The growing season ends on the date of the first frost of fall, which can occur between September 1st - November 30th.
| Crop | Based on Frost Dates Based on Moon Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Seeds Indoors | Plant Seedlings or Transplants | |
| Kale | Feb 7-21 Feb 7-16 | Mar 7-29 Mar 7-18 |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 21-Mar 7 Mar 2- 7 | Mar 15-22 Mar 15-18 |
| Lettuce | Feb 21-Mar 7 Mar 2- 7 | Mar 22-Apr 19 Apr 1-16 |
Can I grow lavender in North Carolina?
English lavender is an evergreen perennial shrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family that is native to Mediterranean areas. It is well loved but at times difficult to grow in North Carolina. This plant requires perfectly drained soil, preferably on the dry side, and full sun.
They are native to southern North America and South America, and there are many cultivars, colors, and a range of sizes available—from 8 inches to 4 feet tall. Zinnia is named in honor of Johann Gottfried Zinn, a German botanist.
- Start plants in June of brussel sprouts and collards for transplanting into the garden in mid-July.
- Plant the following vegetables in your garden in June: beans, lima beans, southern peas, pepper, sweet potato, pumpkin, and tomato.
You actually can plant many different edibles and ornamentals in July to squeeze out a second harvest or brighten up faded flower beds, containers and planter boxes. Many types of edibles can be planted from seed even now, as long as you have enough time left before a frost.
Technically, you can plant perennials any time your soil is workable. Practically, the best times to plant perennials are spring or fall. These seasons allow plants to get settled and grow new roots before summer's hot, dry weather arrives. Planting in summer is okay, but you'll need to water frequently.
