Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77228
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 at the humid southern edge of zone 9b, where winter's limiting factor is not frost severity but brief and unpredictable cold snaps. The last spring frost occurs in mid-February, and the first fall frost does not arrive until early December, creating a 300-day growing season that is among the longest in the country. The dominant constraint here is not winter survival but heat and humidity. Subtropical fruits like figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, and jujubes thrive in the sustained warmth and rarely struggle with cold. Many gardeners build their entire landscape around these reliable producers, focusing on heat-loving crops instead of temperate fruits that decline in Houston's climate. Warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and peppers grow vigorously in spring but often wilt during the intense mid-June through August heat, making succession planting essential. Gardeners accustomed to cooler zones quickly learn that variety selection trumps technique in Houston. The same apple or peach variety that produces abundantly in zone 7 may languish here from disease or insufficient chill hours. Successful gardening is less about stretching the season and more about choosing what genuinely wants to grow in this heat and humidity.
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
Fungal disease pressure is relentless in the Houston climate. Humidity, warm winters that prevent dormancy from fully resetting, and dense summer foliage create conditions where powdery mildew, fire blight, and root rots thrive on vulnerable varieties. A second challenge is intense summer heat. From mid-June through August, heat stress causes pepper plants to drop blossoms, tomatoes to sunscald, and many trees to show leaf burn. A third and less obvious hazard is the February frost window. Because winter temperatures rarely dip below 25°F, many subtropical and marginally hardy plants begin blooming or breaking dormancy in January. An unexpected freeze in early or mid-February can devastate entire crops of fruit blossoms.
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
First, choose disease-resistant varieties. Fire blight-resistant pears, powdery-mildew-resistant figs, and pest-resistant tomato cultivars are essential in Houston. Second, plan tomatoes and peppers as spring and fall crops. Plant in early March for spring harvest by May and June, then replant in late July for a fall crop harvested from October through early December. Third, protect late bloomers from February frost. Frost cloth over young fig and citrus trees on nights when temperatures dip below freezing is cheaper than losing a year's fruit buds. Monitor forecasts closely from mid-January through mid-February.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best in Houston?
Subtropical fruits that thrive in heat love Houston: figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, jujubes, and goji berries. Warm-season vegetables like okra and Southern peas excel. Tomatoes and peppers grow but are spring and fall crops, not summer crops. Cool-season crops are late-fall and winter plants.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Houston?
Plant tomatoes in early March, after the Feb 13 last spring frost date, for harvest through May and June. Do not keep them through summer heat; replant in late July for a fall crop from October through early December. Indeterminate varieties tolerate Houston conditions better than compact types.
- What is the biggest weather risk in Houston?
A freeze in February. Warm January weather triggers blooming in subtropical plants, then an unexpected freeze in early or mid-February kills blossoms and new growth. The Feb 13 last spring frost date means gardeners must stay vigilant through mid-February.
- How do I handle summer heat and humidity?
Accept that June through August is dormant season for most vegetables. Grow shade-tolerant greens and root crops under shade cloth. Focus irrigation on deep soaking rather than frequent shallow watering. For permanent plantings, ensure good drainage and airflow through pruning to reduce fungal disease.
- Do I need to worry about winter hardiness in zone 9b Houston?
Cold hardiness is rarely a limiting factor. Lows of 25 to 30°F are brief and infrequent. The real risks are mid-February freezes that kill blossoms on early bloomers and insufficient winter chill hours for some temperate-climate fruits.
- Can I grow apples in Houston?
Apples require winter chill hours that Houston does not always provide. The 300-day growing season and mild winters mean many apple varieties never accumulate enough chilling hours to break dormancy properly. Persimmons, figs, and jujubes are better choices for zone 9b Houston.
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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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