Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77245
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 edge of zone 9b with winter lows between 25 and 30°F, a climate shaped less by cold than by heat and humidity. The growing season stretches 300 days from the last spring frost on February 13 to the first fall frost on December 9, offering nearly 10 months of potential growing time. This long window attracts gardeners seeking extended production, but the defining constraint isn't cold; it's the subtropical summers with high humidity that favor fungal diseases, pest pressure, and heat stress on cool-season crops.
Figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, and jujubes flourish here where cold-sensitive varieties fail elsewhere in zone 9b. Tomatoes and peppers thrive if matched to heat-adapted varieties. The extended season rewards a staggered approach: cool-season crops establish in fall and winter, spring offers a narrow window before heat peaks, mid-summer requires dormancy or heat-tolerant selections, and another productive window opens with late June and July plantings for fall harvest.
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
Late February freezes can catch early spring plantings off guard. The 2/13 last-frost date is misleading; hard freezes occasionally dip below 25°F into March, killing young tomatoes, peppers, and tender perennials planted on a false sense of security.
Summer humidity drives fungal disease. Early blight and septoria leaf spot ravage tomatoes, powdery mildew coats squashes and grapes, and anthracnose pressures figs and passion fruit. Clay-heavy soils common to the Houston area compound moisture problems, rotting roots in wet spells and baking hard in drought.
Heat itself stresses cool-season crops into bolting and bitterness by early June. Most decline and must wait for August plantings to mature in the cooler fall.
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
Delay spring plantings by 2 to 3 weeks past the 2/13 frost date. Late February and early March freezes are common enough to warrant caution on tender crops, and waiting until early March for tomatoes, peppers, and squash reduces replanting risk.
Select disease-resistant tomato varieties for summer conditions. Heat-loving, fungal-resistant types like Surefire, Iron Lady, and Mountain Magic tolerate the humidity better than heirlooms, and they also produce through August when other varieties succumb to disease.
Plan a fall crop planting in late June or early July to harvest cool-season crops (lettuce, broccoli, spinach, root crops) from September through November. The shortened, cooler season makes these crops reliable again after the summer slump.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best crops to grow in Houston?
Figs, Asian persimmons, pomegranates, and jujubes excel in zone 9b heat. Tomatoes and peppers thrive if selected for heat and humidity tolerance. Fall crops including broccoli, lettuce, and spinach are also highly productive from September onward.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Houston?
Wait until early March despite the February 13 frost date. Late February and March freezes frequently kill young transplants. Start seeds indoors in December for transplants ready in early March.
- What's the biggest weather risk in zone 9b around Houston?
Late-season freezes can catch early plantings, but summer humidity is the dominant pressure. Fungal diseases thrive in the warm, wet conditions from June through August, making disease-resistant variety selection critical.
- Can I grow tropical fruits in Houston?
Some tropical crops survive occasional freezes (avocado, mango) but need careful placement and winter protection. Winter lows between 25 and 30°F can dip lower, putting marginal tropical crops at risk every few years.
- Is summer gardening a challenge in Houston?
Most cool-season crops and many perennials decline May through August as heat rises. The season restarts in late summer when temperatures fall, allowing new plantings in July and August for fall harvest.
- What about improving Houston's heavy clay soil?
Mulch and organic matter amendments (compost, aged manure) improve drainage and structure. Fall and winter cover crops like clover and vetch build soil biology and prevent compaction.
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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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