When to Start Seeds Indoors in Zone 8
Your month-by-month seed-starting calendar, timed to a last frost around Late February – late March.
- Min Winter Temp
- 10 to 20 °F / -12 to -7 °C
- Last Spring Frost
- Late February – late March
- First Fall Frost
- Mid November – mid December
- Growing Season
- 225–270 days
- Annual Rainfall
- 20–65 in
Seed starting in Zone 8
Starting seeds indoors gives heat-loving crops the head start they need to ripen within Zone 8's season. Because everything is timed to your last spring frost — around Late February – late March in Zone 8 — the calendar below shows exactly which month to start each crop. Count back from your transplant date, sow under bright light, and harden seedlings off before they go outside.
Zone 8 seed-starting calendar
January
All January tasks →Start these indoors
Get a jump on the season under lights or on a sunny windowsill so transplants are ready when the weather warms.
Sow ⅛ in deep at 80°F on a heat mat. Slow to sprout (14–21 days) — start early.
Sow ¼ in deep at 80°F; needs steady warmth for 8 weeks indoors.
Sow ¼ in deep in trays; keep tops trimmed to 3 in for stocky transplants. Choose day-length type for your latitude.
Soak seed overnight; slow to germinate (3 weeks). Surface-sow under lights.
February
All February tasks →Start these indoors
Get a jump on the season under lights or on a sunny windowsill so transplants are ready when the weather warms.
Sow ¼ in deep in cell trays; keep at 70–75°F. Germinates in 7–10 days.
Tomatillos
Sow ¼ in deep at 70°F; treat like tomatoes.
Sow ¼ in deep; ready to transplant in 4–6 weeks at 4–5 in tall.
Sow ¼ in deep; harden off well before setting out.
Surface-sow under lights at 70°F; very frost-tender.
Sow ¼ in deep; quick and reliable from seed.
How to start seeds indoors
- 1
Count back from your last frost. Most warm-season crops start 6–8 weeks before; peppers and eggplant 8–10 weeks.
- 2
Sow into a clean seed-starting mix, at the depth on the packet, and keep it consistently warm (a heat mat speeds germination).
- 3
Give seedlings strong light as soon as they sprout — a sunny window is rarely enough; a shop light a few inches above works well.
- 4
Pot up if seedlings outgrow their cells before it’s warm enough to plant out.
- 5
Harden off over 7–10 days — gradually expose them to outdoor sun and wind — before transplanting after your last frost.
Seed starting in Zone 8: common questions
When should I start seeds indoors in Zone 8?＋
In Zone 8, the indoor-sowing months are January and February, timed to a last spring frost around Late February – late March. Start the longest-season crops first and quicker crops closer to your transplant date.
What seeds can I start indoors in Zone 8?＋
Common crops to start indoors in Zone 8 include Peppers, Eggplant, Onions, Parsley, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Broccoli, Cabbage. Warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers benefit most from an indoor head start.
How many weeks before the last frost should I start seeds in Zone 8?＋
It depends on the crop: peppers and eggplant want 8–10 weeks, tomatoes 6–8 weeks, and quicker crops like cucumbers or squash just 3–4 weeks before transplanting. Count back from Zone 8's last frost (around Late February – late March) to find each start date.
Zone 8 overview →
Frost dates, climate, and everything to grow here.
Monthly calendars →
What to sow, transplant, and harvest each month.
Plant growing guides →
Full care guides for every crop in the calendar.