Local planting guide · Great Plains
zip 77279
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's gardening calendar is inverted compared to northern zones. The real seasonal constraint is summer heat, not winter cold. With minimum temperatures of only -25 to -30°F and a 300-day growing season, Houston gardeners can grow year-round, but the timing and crop selection differ sharply from zone 9a or cooler.
The last spring frost arrives February 13, relatively late for the region, marking the end of the cool-season window, not the beginning. Cool-season crops like brassicas, leafy greens, and root crops thrive from October through February. After mid-February, heat builds rapidly. By June, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 95°F with intense humidity.
This is where heat-loving crops excel: figs, pomegranates, jujubes, Asian persimmons, and goji berries flourish in Houston's intensity. Tomatoes are possible but demand careful variety selection and timing. Summer heat arrives early and brutally, turning June through September into a dormancy window.
The first fall frost doesn't arrive until December 9. This means a nearly three-month window from mid-September through December for a second major planting season, making fall-to-winter the most reliably productive period for Houston gardeners.
Humidity favors fungal diseases like powdery mildew, rust, and leaf spot. Air circulation and thoughtful crop selection matter as much as any fungicide.
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 breaks most cool-season crops and stresses even heat-tolerant varieties. Tomato plants wilt despite adequate water, flowers drop from peppers above 95°F, and many gardeners quit outdoor work entirely from mid-June through September. Shade cloth and selection of truly heat-tolerant varieties are the realistic solutions.
Late-season freeze events, though infrequent, arrive without warning. The last frost date is February 13, but unexpected freezes occasionally occur as late as early March, killing tender new growth on newly planted crops or early-budding trees. Keep frost cloth and row covers on hand.
Fungal disease pressure from constant humidity, especially powdery mildew, rust, and anthracnose, requires either resistant varieties or consistent sanitation. Overhead irrigation accelerates problems; drip or soaker-hose irrigation reduces fungal leaf wetness.
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 no later than late January for a spring harvest before June heat arrives. Standard varieties collapse when planted in February or March. A January planting matures and finishes its harvest before true heat stress sets in. Late-summer sowings (late July for August transplanting) enable a second, less reliable fall crop.
- Build the fall-to-winter growing season as your primary focus. October through December is longer and more productive than spring. Plant brassicas, root crops, leafy greens, and peppers starting in August (seed) through September (transplant).
- Select heat-loving and humidity-tolerant fruits as permanent plantings. Figs, pomegranates, and Asian persimmons handle Houston's extremes without supplemental intervention. These outlast annual vegetables and provide reliable harvests year after year.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best in Houston?
Figs, pomegranates, jujubes, and Asian persimmons thrive in the heat and humidity. Tomatoes succeed with careful variety selection and January planting. Peppers excel in the fall-to-winter window. Brassicas, root crops, and leafy greens flourish from October through February. These reliable choices outperform tender crops that wilt in summer heat.
- When is the best time to plant tomatoes?
Late January is critical for a spring crop; varieties mature and complete harvests before June heat kills flowering. Standard varieties planted after February face heat stress and flower drop. A secondary fall crop is possible from late-July sowings transplanted in August, though summer heat makes success uncertain.
- Is Houston actually zone 9b? It doesn't feel that cold.
Zone 9b is defined by -25 to -30°F winter lows, which occur rarely in Houston. Most years stay above freezing. The real constraints are summer heat (95-100°F regularly June through August) and humidity favoring fungal diseases. The 300-day growing season and long fall-to-winter window are the distinguishing features.
- How do I prevent powdery mildew and fungal diseases?
Select disease-resistant varieties when available. Space plants for air circulation, use drip or soaker irrigation instead of overhead watering to minimize leaf wetness, and remove infected leaves promptly. During spring and fall when humidity peaks, preventive applications of neem oil or sulfur are more effective than waiting until disease is visible.
- What's the growing season like compared to other zone 9b areas?
Houston's 300-day season is exceptional within zone 9b, driven by mild winters and long fall-to-winter window. The main constraint is not frost but summer heat arriving in June and persisting until September. This inverts the seasonal rhythm: cool-season crops dominate October-February, and heat-loving fruits are the reliable summer perennials.
- Can I grow tropical fruits like mango or avocado?
Houston's mild winters allow mango and avocado to survive most years, but occasional freezes (the frost date is February 13, with rare events into March) can kill young trees or damage old ones. Humidity also invites fungal issues. Success requires frost protection the first few years and acceptance of occasional losses.
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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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