What to Plant in Spring (Zone 7b/ 8a) - Raleigh NC Month-by-Month Guide

Know Your Frost Dates

For the Raleigh-Durham-Garner region:

• Average last frost: April 15-20
• Safe planting date for tender plants: after mid-April
• First fall frost: mid to late October
• Growing season: roughly 180-200 days

These dates shift each year, so think of them as guides, not guarantees.

Simple rule: Wait until after tax day before planting warm-season vegetables and frost-sensitive annuals outdoors.

March - The Setup Month

March is preparation season. Soil is still cool, and frost is still possible through late March and early April.

What to Do in March

Avoid pruning azaleas, quince, or forsythia now - they bloom on old wood. Better not to prune spring flowering plants now. Wait till they bloom and prune right after.

What to Plant Outdoors in March

Cool-season vegetables

Direct sow:

• lettuce, spinach, kale
• peas
• radishes, carrots

Trees and shrubs

March is one of the best planting windows in North Carolina. Cool soil + spring rain = strong root establishment before summer heat.

Cool-season flowers

Plant:

• pansies, violas
• snapdragons
• ornamental cabbage

Bare-root plants

Plant as soon as soil is workable:

• roses
• fruit trees
• deciduous shrubs

Planning your spring garden? You can map plants directly on your garden photos with BloomMap →

April - The Transition Month

April is when spring fully wakes up in the Triangle. Dogwoods bloom, azaleas explode, and planting season begins.

Early April can still surprise you with a cold snap, so stay alert.

What to Do in April

Mulch beds

Apply 2–3 inches of mulch after soil warms slightly and all beds prep is done.

Best choices:

• natural hardwood mulch
• pine bark fines
• arborist mulch

Keep mulch away from stems and trunks.

Harden off seedlings

Move tomatoes, peppers, and indoor starts outside during the day for 7–10 days before transplanting.

Feed established plants

Use a balanced slow-release fertilizer on actively growing shrubs and perennials.

What to Plant Outdoors in April

After mid-April:

Warm-season vegetables

• tomatoes, peppers
• squash, cucumbers, beans
• basil

Dahlias

Plant tubers in mid to late April once soil reaches about 60°F. You can kickstart your dahlia tubers in the pot inside. That can give them more time to put their roots and bloom slightly earlier.

May - The Abundance Month

By May, frost risk is usually gone and nearly everything is growing fast.

This is one of the most productive planting months of the year.

What to Do in May

Stay ahead of weeds

A weekly 15-minute cleanup is easier than a monthly battle.

Water new plantings deeply

Especially:

• shrubs
• trees
• perennials planted this spring

Scout for pests

Watch for:

• aphids
• squash bugs
• Japanese beetles (late May onward)

What to Plant Outdoors in May

Best Long-Term Plants for Zone 7b / 8a Gardens

Want a garden that gets better each year? Invest in reliable performers.

Sun Lovers

Echinacea

Drought tolerant, pollinator favorite, blooms summer to fall.

Salvia ‘May Night’

Deep purple spikes, repeat blooms if trimmed.

Rudbeckia

Long-lasting golden flowers.

Catmint ‘Walker’s Low’

Blooms for months with little care.

Butterfly bush ‘Pugster’

A great choice for sunny, low-maintenance landscapes.

Plant list

←→

Echinacea

Full Sun • Part Sun

Salvia May night

Full Sun • Part Sun

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Full Sun

Catmint

Full Sun

Butterfly bush 'Pugster'

Full Sun

Shade & Part Shade

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Native, four-season beauty, great in Piedmont shade.

Azalea

Traditional showy southern flowering shrub.

Hellebores

Late winter blooms, evergreen, deer resistant.

Hosta

Classic shade texture plant.

Plant list

←→

Oakleaf hydrangea

Part Shade • Part Sun • Shade

Evergreen Azaleas

Part Shade • Part Sun • Shade

Hellebores

Part Shade • Shade

Hosta

Part Shade • Shade

Structural Favorites

Japanese Maple

Elegant shape, incredible spring and fall color.

Boxwood or Inkberry Holly

Year-round form and winter presence.

Illicium

Scented foliage and nice flowers.

Fatsia

Tropic looking, big leaf plant.

Plant list

←→

Japanese Maple Tamukeyama

Full Sun • Part Shade • Part Sun • Shade

Inkberry holly

Full Sun • Part Sun

Illicium 'Woodland Ruby'

Part Shade • Shade

Fatsia

Part Shade • Shade

A Smarter Way to Plan Spring

When multiple beds are waking up at once, it’s easy to forget:

• what was planted where
• which bulbs are under mulch
• what worked last year
• what needs replacing

Take a photo of each garden bed at the start of spring and mark what you plant.

That way next March, you already know.

BloomMap makes this simple:

• snap a photo of your garden
• pin plants in place
• switch between years
• track how your garden evolves

Raleigh Gardening Tip

Our local challenges aren’t just frost dates.

We also deal with:

• humid summers
• dry stretches
• clay soil in many yards
• heavy shade from mature pines and oaks

Choosing the right plant for the right place matters more than buying trendy plants.

Final Spring Timeline

March

Prep beds, cool-season vegetables, shrubs, pansies, dividing perennials.

April

Tomatoes after frost, herbs, perennials, mulch, zinnias.

May

Annual color, tropicals, summer bulbs, peppers, okra, full planting season.

Final Thought

Spring in Raleigh is generous. You have a long window and endless possibilities. The secret is not planting everything at once. It’s planting the right thing at the right time - and remembering where you put it.

Your future self next spring will thank you.