Cauliflower in Zone 8a & 8b
Brassica oleracea
Yes, cauliflower grows in zones 8a and 8b. Start seeds indoors Feb 11–Feb 18 and plant out Mar 11–Mar 18. For a fall crop, start seeds indoors Jul 21–Aug 4 and plant out Aug 18–Sep 1.
When to plant cauliflower in zone 8b
Zones 8a and 8b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. It needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.
| Window | Spring window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Feb 11–Feb 18 |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Mar 11–Mar 18 |
| Estimated harvest | May 20–May 27 (~70 days after transplanting) |
| Window | Fall window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Jul 21–Aug 4 |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Aug 18–Sep 1 |
| Estimated harvest | Oct 27–Nov 10 (~70 days after transplanting) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1.5-2 ft.
Fall window: the last sowing date is the average first frost minus days to maturity, the method in Purdue Extension's fall garden guide, which lists cauliflower for late-summer planting.
Plant alongside it in zone 8b
These go outside within two weeks of cauliflower in zone 8b, so one planting day can cover them.
- RadishFeb 25–Mar 4
- CarrotMar 4–Mar 11
- CabbageMar 11–Mar 18
- LettuceMar 11–Mar 18
- BroccoliMar 11–Mar 18
- Flower SproutsMar 11–Mar 18
Cauliflower has a reputation as the difficult brassica, and it's mostly earned: unlike broccoli or cabbage, it doesn't tolerate a check in growth well, and any stress (heat, drought, a root disturbance during transplanting) tends to show up later as a small, loose, or oddly colored head instead of the tight white curd you're after.
How cauliflower fits zone 8's season
Zone 8b's frost-free window runs about 230 days, from March 25 to November 10. Cauliflower needs about 70 days from transplant to first harvest.
Cauliflower planting windows in every zone
Zone 8b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Apr 8–Apr 15 | May 6–May 13 | Jul 15–Jul 22 |
| 3a & 3b | Apr 18–Apr 25 | May 16–May 23 | Jul 25–Aug 1 |
| 4a & 4b | Apr 3–Apr 10 | May 1–May 8 | Jul 10–Jul 17 |
| 5a & 5bSpring window | Mar 29–Apr 5 | Apr 26–May 3 | Jul 5–Jul 12 |
| Fall window | Jun 15–Jun 29 | Jul 13–Jul 27 | Sep 21–Oct 5 |
| 6a & 6bSpring window | Mar 14–Mar 21 | Apr 11–Apr 18 | Jun 20–Jun 27 |
| Fall window | Jun 25–Jul 9 | Jul 23–Aug 6 | Oct 1–Oct 15 |
| 7a & 7bSpring window | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Mar 27–Apr 3 | Jun 5–Jun 12 |
| Fall window | Jul 5–Jul 19 | Aug 2–Aug 16 | Oct 11–Oct 25 |
| 8a & 8bSpring window (your zone) | Feb 11–Feb 18 | Mar 11–Mar 18 | May 20–May 27 |
| Fall window | Jul 21–Aug 4 | Aug 18–Sep 1 | Oct 27–Nov 10 |
| 9a & 9bSpring window | Jan 4–Jan 11 | Feb 1–Feb 8 | Apr 12–Apr 19 |
| Fall window | Aug 15–Aug 29 | Sep 12–Sep 26 | Nov 21–Dec 5 |
| 10a & 10bFall window | Aug–Dec | Sep–Jan | ~70 days after transplanting |
Harvest dates are about 70 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
- Onion: Onion scent is reputed to confuse cabbage moths that target brassicas. The research behind this is real but garlic-specific (field trials intercropping garlic with cabbage reduced diamondback moth damage): onion hasn't been tested the same way, so treat the onion version as a reasonable extrapolation, not a directly measured result.
Where to buy cauliflower seeds
Botanical Interests · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's cauliflower seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Violet Queen: Ohioline's purple option, listed among their midseason varieties. Buy: True Leaf Market Full notes
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing cauliflower" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 8b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Cauliflower in USDA zone 8b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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