Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Augusta, GA

Augusta, GA is in USDA zone 8b across its 12 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is February 27 and the first fall frost December 4.

Augusta on the zone map

Outlined: its 6 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
ZIP codes12
Last frostFeb 27
First frostDec 4
Growing season283 days

8b 12 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Augusta, GA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Augusta, GA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostFebruary 27median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 19only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 4median — 10% chance by Nov 15
Growing season283 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 8 and returns around December 26.

From the NOAA station Augusta Daniel Field Airport, GA, elevation 423 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Augusta

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 16 – Jan 30
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 16 – Feb 6
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 19 – Jan 2
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 6 – Feb 20
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 30 – Feb 13
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 6 – Feb 20
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 30 – Feb 13
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 6 – Feb 20
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 2 – Jan 16
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 19 – Jan 2
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 13 – Mar 27
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 9 – Oct 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 20 – Dec 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Feb 27) and first fall frost (Dec 4) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 30903 came on Feb 12 — 7 days later than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 5).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 8b in Georgia

590 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Georgia, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 89

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 143

Allegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 174

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 159

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 13

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Augusta, GA.

Soil in Augusta, GA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 30903 is Vaucluse — loamy sand, well drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Vaucluse-Ailey complex, 5 to 8 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 30903; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Augusta, GA

Summer high94 °Faverage high, July
Winter low40 °Faverage low, January
Hot days80days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights20nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,606base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 22 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 56 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation44.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 58 °F, low 40 °F 58°40° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 43 °F 62°43° FebMarch: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 56 °F 78°56° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 64 °F 85°64° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 71 °F 91°71° JunJuly: average high 94 °F, low 74 °F 94°74° JulAugust: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 69 °F 87°69° SepOctober: average high 78 °F, low 58 °F 78°58° OctNovember: average high 68 °F, low 48 °F 68°48° NovDecember: average high 60 °F, low 42 °F 60°42° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 JanFebruary: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 FebMarch: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 MarApril: 2.91 in precipitation 2.9 AprMay: 2.82 in precipitation 2.8 MayJune: 4.72 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 4.80 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 5.02 in precipitation 5.0 AugSeptember: 4.03 in precipitation 4.0 SepOctober: 2.69 in precipitation 2.7 OctNovember: 2.75 in precipitation 2.8 NovDecember: 3.82 in precipitation 3.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Augusta Daniel Field Airport, GA (6 mi away); precipitation: Augusta Daniel Field Airport, GA (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Augusta

309018b
15 to 20 °F
309038b
15 to 20 °F
309048b
15 to 20 °F
309058b
15 to 20 °F
309068b
15 to 20 °F
309078b
15 to 20 °F
309098b
15 to 20 °F
309148b
15 to 20 °F
309168b
15 to 20 °F
309178b
15 to 20 °F
309198b
15 to 20 °F
309998b
15 to 20 °F

Georgia planting zones →

Questions about Augusta

What planting zone is Augusta, GA?

Augusta, GA is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map (8b: 15 to 20 °F).

When is the last frost in Augusta, GA?

The median last spring frost is February 27 and the median first fall frost is December 4 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Augusta Daniel Field Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Augusta, GA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 16 – Feb 6; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 6, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Augusta, GA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 22 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Augusta, GA get?

About 44.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).