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Zone 7A — October

What to Plant in October in Zone 7A

October in Zone 7A: 1 crop to start indoors, 1 to plant or direct sow outside, and 146 entering harvest window. Last frost averages April 17. Reference city: Raleigh, NC.
Updated May 13, 2026 · Frost data from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
1 Start Indoors
1 Plant Outside
146 Harvest
Frost risk: Cleared

Frost season has cleared in Zone 7A. The last spring frost typically passed by April 17, and the very latest 10% chance closed by May 4. Tender crops are safe to plant out.

See full Zone 7A frost outlook →

Start Indoors in October

Plant Type Start Indoors Transplant Outside Harvest Window
Garlic root vegetable Oct 12 Oct 19 Jun 16 – Jul 16

Plant Outside in October

Plant Type Action Target Date Harvest Window
Garlic root vegetable Transplant Oct 19 Jun 16 – Jul 16

Harvest in October

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Winter rye cover crop stands cover crop Apr 17 Oct 14 – Oct 17 (before frost)
Alaska Early Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 14
All Year Round Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
All Year Round Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 27
Amarillo Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
America Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Blonde de Paris Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 6
Blue Curled Scotch Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Bok Choy (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Boltardy Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Bouquet Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 19
Broadleaf Classic Endive (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Broccolini (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 24
Bull's Blood Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 9
Burgundy Boston Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Buttercrunch Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Butterhead Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 19
Calabrese Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Calendula (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 14
California Bluebell (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 19
Calypso Cilantro (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 9
Canary Yellow Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Cascadia Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 21
Catalogna Chicory (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Chantenay Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 24
Charleston Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 29
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 4
Chioggia Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 19
Copenhagen Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Cosmic Purple Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
Crimson Forest Bunching Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Crisphead Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 29
Crosby's Egyptian Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Curly Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 19
Cylindra Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Daikon Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 9
Dark Green Italian Giant Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 29
Dark Green Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 24
Delicatesse Blue Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 14
Delicatesse White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 14
Detroit Dark Red Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Di Cicco Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 9
Dukat Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 4
Dutch Lamb's Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Dwarf Siberian Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 29
Early Purple Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Early Wonder Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 4
Endive / Escarole (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 19
Fairy Dwarf Mix Candytuft Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 14
Fenugreek (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 4
Florida Broadleaf Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
French Lamb's Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
German Chamomile (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 19
Golden Acre Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Golden Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 19
Golden Detroit Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Golden Globe Turnips (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 4
Green Arrow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 24
Green Mountain Celtuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Heritage Rainbow Blend Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
Hot Pink Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Iceberg Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 29
Igloo Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 24
Kagraner Sommer Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 12
King Richard Leek (fall planting) allium Aug 15 Oct 29
Kuroda Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 24
Lacinato Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 19
Lacy Phacelia Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 29
Leaf Lettuce Mix (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Little Fingers Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 9
Little Gem Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 10
Little Marvel Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 17
Lollo Bionda Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Lollo Rossa Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 10
Magenta Sunset Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Mammoth Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 19
Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 28
Marvel of Four Seasons Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Matador Viking Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 2
Medium Red Clover Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 15 Oct 29
Michihili Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 24
Mizuna (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Monstrueux de Viroflay Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Mustard Greens (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Nantes Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
New Zealand Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Noble Giant Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Nutri-Red Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
Old Fashion Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Orange Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Oregon Giant Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 28
Oregon Sugar Pod Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 22
Paris Market Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 9
Phacelia cover crop and bee forage (fall planting) cover crop Aug 15 Oct 14
Premier Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Progress No. 9 Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 16
Purple Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
Purple Haze Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 27
Rainbow Mix Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Rapeseed Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 15 Oct 24
Rapini Broccoli Raab (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Red Leaf Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Red Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 24
Red Russian Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 29
Royal Carpet Alyssum Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 14
Ruby Red Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Salad Bowl Green Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Scarlet Flax Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 24
Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 24
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum) (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Snow Crown Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 14
Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 24
Snow White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
Snowball Self-Blanche Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Solar Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 29
St. Valery Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 24
Sugar Ann Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 10
Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 24
Summer Bibb Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Tendergreen Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
Tendersweet Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 24
Tom Thumb Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 24
Très Fine Maraîchère Frisée (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Turnip (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
Tuscany Black Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 29
Vates Collard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 29
Vates Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 9
Vienna Purple Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Vienna White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Vietnamese Coriander (fall planting) herb Aug 15 Oct 14
Viola and pansy edible flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 15 Oct 24
Violetta Purple Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 19
Wando Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 15 Oct 22
Watermelon Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 19
White Boston Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4
White Detroit Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 14
White Lisbon Bunching Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 15 Oct 19
Winner Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 15 Oct 4
Winter Density Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 14
Winter Giant Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Aug 15 Oct 4

Key Tasks for October in Zone 7A

  1. 1 Start 1 variety indoors this month under grow lights or in a sunny south-facing window. Use a seed-starting mix and bottom heat (70–75°F) for best germination rates.
  2. 2 Harden off transplants before moving outdoors — set them outside in a sheltered spot for increasing hours over 7–10 days before planting in the ground.
  3. 3 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
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