Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77062
Houston is in USDA hardiness zone 9b, with average winter lows of 25°F to 30°F. The local growing season runs roughly 01/31 through 12/27 (~328 days). This zip falls within the Great Plains growing region.
- USDA zone
- 9b 25°F to 30°F
- Last spring frost
- 01/31
- First fall frost
- 12/27
- Growing season
- 328 days
- Compatible crops
- 37
- Growing region
- Great Plains
Right now in Houston
Week 18 priorities
On the docket: transplant out after last frost · direct sow after last frost. See the full calendar →
Gardening in Houston
Houston's gardening season extends nearly year-round, with the last spring frost typically arriving January 31 and the first fall frost not expected until December 27. This 328-day growing window is one of the longest in the continental United States, a stark advantage over most zone 9b locations. Winter temperatures rarely dip below 25°F, eliminating hardiness as a limiting factor for most crops. The real constraint is summer heat and humidity. From June through September, daytime temperatures routinely exceed 90°F, with sustained stretches above 95°F. This extreme heat, combined with high humidity and heavy clay soils, creates a growing environment quite different from cooler parts of zone 9b. Crops such as figs, pomegranates, jujubes, and goji berries thrive under these conditions; heat-loving peppers and tomatoes can be grown year-round with variety selection and shading. The long season allows gardeners to abandon freeze-protection strategies entirely and instead focus on heat management and humidity control.
Regional context · Great Plains
What the Great Plains brings to Houston
Continental, windy, with severe heat and cold extremes. Cold-hardy fruit and small grains north; long warm season for melons, peppers, and pecans south.
Common challenges
Issues that most often defeat home gardeners in zone 9b, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ Heat stress in summer
- ▸ Insufficient chill for most apples
- ▸ Salt spray near coasts
What defeats new gardeners in Houston
Summer heat stress ranks first among challenges. Tomato flowers drop when night temperatures stay above 75°F for extended periods, a condition Houston experiences June through early August. Many standard tomato varieties fail to set fruit during peak summer; fall crops planted in late July mature reliably during the cooler, drier months of October and November. The second major challenge is fungal disease pressure. High humidity combined with warm nights favors powdery mildew, leaf spot, and root rot. Peppers, squash, and herbaceous plants suffer; air circulation and avoiding overhead watering become essential practices. Third, Houston's clay soil drains poorly and compacts easily under foot traffic or heavy rain. Rainwater pools for days after storms; waterlogged soil encourages root rot. Amended raised beds or container gardening outperform in-ground beds unless significant compost is worked into the soil annually.
Crops that grow in Houston
37 crops from our catalog match zone 9b, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
11 crops
zone 9b Fig
Ficus carica
zones 7a–10b
zone 9b Asian Persimmon
Diospyros kaki
zones 7a–10a
zone 9b Pomegranate
Punica granatum
zones 7b–10a
zone 9b Jujube
Ziziphus jujuba
zones 6a–9b
zone 9b Lemon
Citrus limon
zones 9a–11b
zone 9b Orange
Citrus sinensis
zones 9a–11b
zone 9b Lime
Citrus aurantiifolia
zones 9b–11b
zone 9b Grapefruit
Citrus paradisi
zones 9a–11b
Berries
2 crops
Vegetables
18 crops
zone 9b Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 9b Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 9b Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 9b Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 9b Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
zones 3a–9b
zone 9b Kale
Brassica oleracea var. acephala
zones 3a–9b
zone 9b Collards
Brassica oleracea var. acephala
zones 4a–9b
zone 9b Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
zones 3b–10a
Herbs
6 crops
Plan the year
Planting calendar for Houston
Year-view of seed starting, transplanting, planting, pruning, fertilizing, harvest, and pest-watch windows tuned to Houston's local frost dates.
Week ? · loading
This week in Houston, TX (zone 9b)
Quiet week in Houston, TX (zone 9b). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
187 bars · 37 crops
Calendar logic combines NOAA frost normals with crop-specific timing data. Local microclimate and weather always overrules the calendar; use this as a starting point.
Top pests for zone 9b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for IPM controls and signs to watch for.
Multiple species (Aphididae)
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects that reproduce explosively in spring. Excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants. Transmit viral diseases.
Multiple species (Aleyrodidae)
Tiny white moth-like flying insects that feed on plant sap and excrete honeydew. Transmit numerous viral diseases including tomato yellow leaf curl virus.
Meloidogyne species
Microscopic soil-dwelling worm that forms galls on roots, reducing vigor and yield.
Tetranychus urticae
Tiny mite that feeds on leaf undersides, causing stippling and webbing during hot dry weather.
Multiple species (Chrysomelidae)
Tiny black or bronze jumping beetles that put hundreds of small holes in seedling leaves. Most damaging on direct-seeded brassicas and young eggplant.
Odocoileus species
Whitetail and mule deer browse can devastate orchards and gardens, particularly in winter when food is scarce. Antler rub on young trunks kills saplings outright.
Pseudococcidae spp.
Soft white waxy insects that cluster at leaf joints, fruit stems, and root crowns. Honeydew secretion supports sooty mold; root mealybugs cause decline that mimics drought.
Coccoidea spp.
Sap-sucking insects that attach to bark, leaves, and fruit, secreting honeydew that fuels sooty mold. Heavy infestations weaken trees and cause leaf yellowing.
Top diseases for zone 9b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for symptoms, controls, and resistant varieties.
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (cucurbits) and others
Water mold (oomycete, not a true fungus) that thrives in cool damp conditions. Spreads rapidly through cucurbit and brassica plantings on wind-borne spores.
Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus, and others
Family of plant viruses producing mottled yellow-and-green leaf patterns. Vectored primarily by aphids; some are seed-transmitted or spread by handling tools and tobacco products.
Pythium and Rhizoctonia species
Soil-borne complex of water molds and fungi that kill seedlings before or shortly after emergence. The single most common cause of seed-starting failures.
Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal disease that plugs vascular tissue and kills affected plants. Persists in soil for many years; impossible to eliminate once established.
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
Calcium deficiency physiological disorder
Not a true disease but a calcium-uptake disorder caused by inconsistent soil moisture during fruit development. The dominant cause of damaged first-fruit on home tomato plantings.
Capnodium spp.
Black fungal coating that grows on honeydew secreted by aphids, scale, mealybugs, and whiteflies. Doesn't infect plant tissue directly but blocks photosynthesis and disfigures fruit.
Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV)
Virus vectored by thrips, particularly western flower thrips. Wide host range and growing global distribution. No cure once infected.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 9b.
- Fig + Rosemary
Rosemary tolerates the dry sites figs prefer and provides aromatic pest deterrence.
- Tomato + Basil
The classic Italian pairing. Basil's volatile oils are reported to repel hornworms and whiteflies, and the two crops share the same warm-season schedule and water needs. Plant basil between tomato cages.
- Sweet Pepper + Basil
Same warm-season culture, same watering schedule. Basil reportedly improves pepper flavor and repels aphids and thrips that are pepper's primary pests.
- Hot Pepper + Basil
Compatible heat-loving culture, similar water needs. Basil interplanted between hot pepper plants supports beneficial insects and reduces aphid pressure.
- Lettuce + Tomato
Lettuce planted at tomato's base benefits from afternoon shade as the tomato grows, extending the lettuce harvest into early summer. Different root depths avoid competition.
- Cabbage + Onion
Onion smell confuses cabbage moth. Both prefer similar moisture and fertility. The onion-cabbage interplanting is a Northern European tradition.
Soil types reference
Soil texture and pH decide what grows easily on your specific lot. Find the closest match below for crop recommendations and amendment guidance.
Practical tips for Houston
Plant tomatoes in two flushes: an early spring crop seeded indoors in December for transplanting in late February, and a fall crop seeded in June for transplanting in late July. The spring crop produces May and June before heat stress halts flowering; the fall crop sets fruit reliably from September through November, when nights cool below 75°F. Second, seek varieties specifically bred for heat tolerance, especially for the spring and fall crops. Third, use shade cloth May through August. Even sun-loving peppers and fig trees benefit from 20 to 30 percent shade cloth during the hottest months, preventing sun scald and maintaining consistent growth. Remove shade in September to rebuild vigor for fall and winter production.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow most reliably in Houston?
Heat-loving crops thrive: figs, pomegranates, jujubes, goji berries, and all pepper varieties do excellently. Tomatoes require careful variety selection and timing. Cool-season crops (leafy greens, brassicas, root crops) excel in fall (October through December) and spring (January through March) but wilt in summer heat.
- When should I plant tomatoes in the 77062 zip?
Plant the spring crop in late February (transplants, seeded indoors in December) for harvest May-June. Plant the fall crop in late July (transplants, seeded in June) for harvest September-November. Summer planting (June-July) produces few tomatoes due to heat-induced flower drop.
- What is the biggest weather risk in Houston?
Summer heat is the dominant constraint, not frost. Temperatures regularly exceed 95°F June through August, halting fruit set in many crops. A rare late spring frost around January 31 can surprise tender new growth if not monitored, but freezing damage is uncommon compared to heat damage.
- How should I handle the heavy clay soil?
Build raised beds or containers rather than fighting compacted clay. If amending in-ground, work 4 to 6 inches of compost into the top 12 inches of soil annually. Improve drainage by sloping beds slightly and avoiding foot traffic during wet periods.
- Is frost protection necessary in Houston?
Rarely. The last spring frost is January 31 and the first fall frost is December 27. This allows frost-sensitive plants like pepper and fig to grow nearly year-round. Monitor the forecast on the few winter nights when temperatures approach 30°F, but routine frost cloth is unnecessary.
- Why do my peppers stop flowering in summer?
High heat and humidity stress the plants. Peppers also drop flowers when nighttime temperatures exceed 75°F sustained, which occurs June through early August. Provide afternoon shade during peak summer, ensure consistent soil moisture, and expect slower growth; production resumes in fall as nights cool.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012975. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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