Alabama Gardening Guide (2026)

Long, hot growing season; humid. Warm-season lawns and almost year-round vegetables in the south.

USDA hardiness zone
7โ€“9
Region
Southeast
Typical last spring frost
03/15
Typical first fall frost
11/15
Frost-free season
245 days
Lawn grass type
Warm-season

Quick answer (Alabama): Most of the state gardens in USDA zones 7โ€“9 with about a 245-day frost-free window. Plan around the typical last frost of 03/15; start warm-season crops indoors ~6 weeks earlier. Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) + state cooperative extension typical freeze dates.

Your Alabama planting calendar

Pre-filled for Alabama. Pick a crop to see indoor start, sow/transplant, and harvest dates you can print.

In Alabama (typical zone 7โ€“9, last frost โ‰ˆ Mar 15, first frost โ‰ˆ Nov 15, 245-day season), your Tomato plan:

Start seeds indoors
Feb 1
Sow / transplant outdoors
Mar 29
First harvest
Jun 7
Spacing / depth
24โ€ณ / 0.25โ€ณ

Month-by-month (Alabama, 2026)

MonthAction
Janโ€”
FebStart indoors
MarSow ยท Transplant
Aprโ€”
Mayโ€”
JunHarvest
Julโ€”
Augโ€”
Sepโ€”
Octโ€”
Novโ€”
Decโ€”

Start indoors 6 weeks before last frost; transplant after soil warms. Zones 3โ€“13 suitable. Dates are typical; confirm with your county extension and watch the 10-day forecast.

Lawns in Alabama

Best grass types for your climate:

BermudagrassZoysiagrassSt. AugustinegrassBuffalograss

Open the lawn care scheduler โ†’

Common pests in Alabama

The pests most reported in your region, with organic-first treatments:

Fire AntJapanese BeetleFall ArmywormWhitefly

Fire Ant

Targets
Lawns, beds, people/pets
Signs
Mounded nests; painful sting.
Organic / IPM first
Broadcast beneficial nematodes; boiling water (small mounds); diatomaceous earth.
Chemical option (follow label)
Bait containing spinosad or hydramethylnon; treat entire yard.
Prevention
Two-step bait program in spring and fall; keep lawn healthy.

What grows well in Alabama

Crops suitable for zones 7โ€“9:

CropTypeSpacingDays to harvest
TomatoWarm-season24โ€ณ70
PepperWarm-season18โ€ณ75
LettuceCool-season8โ€ณ45
CarrotCool-season3โ€ณ65
Green BeansWarm-season4โ€ณ55
SpinachCool-season6โ€ณ40
CucumberWarm-season12โ€ณ55
ZucchiniWarm-season36โ€ณ50
KaleCool-season12โ€ณ55
BroccoliCool-season18โ€ณ70

Figures are typical (30-year normals) from USDA and state extension services. Always confirm your local last/first freeze and product labels with your county extension before acting.