Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77098
Houston is in USDA hardiness zone 9b, with average winter lows of 25°F to 30°F. The local growing season runs roughly 01/30 through 12/28 (~330 days). This zip falls within the Great Plains growing region.
- USDA zone
- 9b 25°F to 30°F
- Last spring frost
- 01/30
- First fall frost
- 12/28
- Growing season
- 330 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 is in zone 9b, with average winter lows between 25-30°F. The dominant constraint is not winter cold but summer heat and humidity. The last spring frost date is January 30, and the first fall frost doesn't arrive until December 28, yielding a growing season of 330 days, putting Houston among the longest growing seasons in the nation. This seemingly generous timeline contains a hidden challenge: intense heat and humid conditions from late May through September can shut down crops that thrive elsewhere in zone 9b with milder summers.
Crops like figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, jujubes, and goji berries are well-suited to Houston because they tolerate extreme heat and don't demand heavy winter chilling hours. Tomatoes and peppers adapt well as cool-season crops (October through May) but struggle during peak summer unless provided with shade and consistent irrigation. The long season is deceptive; it doesn't permit year-round production of heat-sensitive crops. Most successful Houston gardeners treat May-September as a dormant or planning period, shifting intensive production to the mild months when disease and heat stress are minimal.
Humidity compounds these challenges. Fungal disease pressure remains high throughout the year, making variety selection and preventive care particularly important.
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 faces three recurring challenges:
- Summer heat shutdown: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans often stop setting fruit or die outright between July and September. Even heat-tolerant varieties struggle. This is exacerbated by the humidity, which prevents nighttime cooling. Many growers accept a production gap during peak summer rather than fighting it.
- Late spring freeze risk: While January 30 is the average last frost date, freezes can occur into early February, and occasional outliers reach mid-February. Tender perennials like figs and pomegranates, which begin budbreak early in the season, face crop loss every few years. Spring protection is worth the effort.
- Fungal disease pressure: High humidity year-round (especially October-May) favors mildew, rust, and anthracnose. Powdery mildew on figs and Persian limes is nearly inevitable without preventive spraying or resistant varieties.
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
Plan for two growing seasons, not one: Treat the mild months (October-May) as the primary production window. Cool-season crops (leafy greens, root vegetables, brassicas, tomatoes, peppers) thrive during this period. May-September is better spent on soil building, mulching, and trials of heat-loving perennials (figs, pomegranates). This seasonal shift sidesteps the frustration many gardeners experience with temperature-sensitive crops wilting and failing.
Protect tender plants from late frost: January 30 is the average last spring frost, but cold snaps into February happen most years. Figs and other early-budding perennials benefit from frost cloth or temporary covers on nights when freezes are forecast. A single frost after budbreak can eliminate the season's crop.
Use shade for heat-sensitive crops: If attempting summer tomatoes or peppers, provide 30-50% shade cloth from June onward and ensure consistent, deep irrigation (drip systems work better than overhead). Even with shade, productivity drops sharply. Fall-to-spring tomato production is often more rewarding.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best crops to grow in Houston?
Figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, jujubes, and goji berries are reliable heat-tolerant perennials. For annual crops, tomatoes and peppers excel from October through May, while warm-season vegetables (okra, Southern peas, sweet potato) handle the heat better than Northern varieties. Leafy greens grow nearly year-round in the mild seasons.
- When should I start tomatoes in Houston?
For cool-season production (the primary window), start seeds indoors in July or August and transplant in September-October. Spring tomatoes can be started in January-February for April planting, but they'll begin declining as heat arrives in late May. Fall-to-winter production yields superior flavor and fewer pest/disease problems.
- What's the biggest weather challenge in Houston?
Summer heat and humidity combined. High heat prevents cooling at night, limiting fruit set and favoring fungal diseases. Most gardeners treat May-September as a low-production or dormant period rather than fighting the climate.
- Can I grow figs year-round in Houston?
Figs produce well in Houston's long season, but late spring freezes (after January 30, occasionally into February) can kill developing buds and destroy the crop. Frost protection on freeze-forecast nights is worthwhile. Otherwise, figs are one of the most rewarding crops for the region.
- Do I need to worry about frost dates in zone 9b?
Even in zone 9b, the average last spring frost date (January 30 in Houston) matters for tender perennials and early seedlings. Freezes do occur outside the statistical window, so budget frost protection for hardy plants that begin growing early.
- What's the biggest advantage of gardening in Houston?
The 330-day growing season is longer than most of the US. Even accounting for the summer shutdown, gardeners enjoy 8-9 months of active production if they align crop selection with the natural seasons. Fall through spring conditions are nearly ideal.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012918. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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