Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77080
Houston is in USDA hardiness zone 9b, with average winter lows of 25°F to 30°F. The local growing season runs roughly 02/13 through 12/09 (~300 days). This zip falls within the Great Plains growing region.
- USDA zone
- 9b 25°F to 30°F
- Last spring frost
- 02/13
- First fall frost
- 12/09
- Growing season
- 300 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 sits in USDA zone 9b with winter lows of 25 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The last spring frost typically falls around February 13, and the first fall frost arrives around December 9, yielding a 300-day frost-free window that seems almost subtropical. This window length is deceptive. While Houston can host nearly year-round gardening, the constraint isn't cold but heat and humidity.
From June through August, temperatures often exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit paired with high humidity, creating conditions hostile to many cool-season crops and triggering fungal disease pressure even in heat-tolerant plants. This extended summer heat renders many spring-planted crops unproductive long before the first fall frost arrives.
Figs, pomegranates, jujubes, and Asian persimmons thrive in Houston's intensity; peppers and okra exploit the long season reliably. But gardeners expecting a simple 10-month growing season discover that midsummer is a fallow window for many crops. Spring (February through April) and fall (September through November) are the true productive seasons where temperature and humidity cooperate with plant growth.
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
Houston's early spring frost date (February 13) surprises gardeners accustomed to zone 9b's later freeze dates elsewhere. Tender transplants set out in January often get caught. Second, the combination of heat and humidity from June through August favors fungal diseases. Powdery mildew, spider mites, and black spot thrive in the warm, moist conditions, and fungicide sprays become a frequent necessity. Third, summer heat literally stops production in many crops. Tomatoes and peppers struggle to set fruit above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, especially combined with humidity, even when the plants are otherwise healthy and vigorous. Gardeners expecting to harvest tomatoes through July often find the plants alive but unproductive by mid-June, with flowers dropping rather than setting fruit.
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 frost-sensitive crops after February 13, but recognize that summer heat, not frost, will be the limiting factor for many plants. Set tomatoes and peppers out in mid-March to harvest before June heat, then plan a fall crop starting seedlings indoors in July for September planting. Grow heat-loving crops (figs, pomegranates, jujubes, and okra) as the backbone of the garden; they anchor the summer months when tender crops fail and provide consistent productivity. Finally, embrace succession planting for cool-season crops that actually grow well in Houston. Spring plantings of lettuce, broccoli, and peas go in February through March; fall plantings go in August and September for harvest from October through December. This two-season rhythm matches Houston's actual growing conditions and eliminates the frustration of wrestling against summer heat.
Frequently asked questions
- What fruit grows best in Houston?
Figs, pomegranates, jujubes, and Asian persimmons thrive in Houston's heat and humidity. These crops are reliably productive and less fussy about the summer conditions that stall tomatoes and stone fruits.
- When's the best time to plant tomatoes in Houston?
Transplants should be set in mid-March for spring harvest before June heat. A second crop can be started from seed indoors in July and transplanted in September for fall and early winter harvest, when temperatures drop below 90 degrees.
- Is Houston's early spring frost (February 13) a real constraint?
Yes. Even though zone 9b is warm overall, the February 13 frost date catches tender transplants set out earlier. Tender perennials and annuals are safest planted after this date.
- How do gardeners handle Houston's summer heat and humidity?
June through August is a lean season for most crops. Heat-loving varieties (okra, peppers, eggplant) produce reliably, and afternoon shade helps tomatoes and peppers if summer plantings are attempted. Spring and fall crops deliver more predictable yields.
- What can grow in Houston's fall and winter?
With the first fall frost arriving on December 9, there is a long window for cool-season crops. Lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and peas planted in August and September harvest from October through December and into January.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012960. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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