USDA hardiness zone lookup
Helena, AL — USDA Zone 8a
Helena, Alabama · 217-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Helena
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 8a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | March 30 |
| Average first fall frost | November 2 |
| Growing season length | ~217 days |
| Temperature range (F) | 10 to 20°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -12 to -7°C |
All of Helena's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 8a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Helena's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by March 30, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Helena
Helena, Alabama sits in USDA Zone 8a, with roughly 217 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around March 30 and a first fall frost around November 2. That is a long season — succession-sow through summer and run a full fall crop; heat-sensitive greens still need spring/autumn timing.
What grows in Helena
Helena falls in USDA Zone 8a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 8 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 8a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (spring + fall plantings)
- Peppers (sweet + hot)
- Okra
- Sweet potatoes
- Southern peas
- Melons, watermelon
- Figs
- Pomegranates
- Citrus (in protected spots — Meyer lemon)
- Pecans
What to plant in Helena this week
Helena is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 8
- When to plant peppers in zone 8
- When to plant bush beans in zone 8
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 8
- When to plant basil in zone 8
Full planting calendar for Helena
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 8 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 8
- When to plant peppers in zone 8
- When to plant basil in zone 8
- When to plant garlic in zone 8
- When to plant lettuce in zone 8
- When to plant bush beans in zone 8
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 8
- When to plant summer squash in zone 8
- When to plant peas in zone 8
- When to plant carrots in zone 8
ZIP codes in Helena
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Helena:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Helenagardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Helena's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Alabama
- Auburn, AL — USDA Zone 8a
- Birmingham, AL — USDA Zone 8a
- Decatur, AL — USDA Zone 7b
- Dothan, AL — USDA Zone 8b
- Hoover, AL — USDA Zone 8a
- Huntsville, AL — USDA Zone 7b
- Mobile, AL — USDA Zone 9a
- Montgomery, AL — USDA Zone 8b
- Tuscaloosa, AL — USDA Zone 8a
- All of Alabama by zone