What to plant this week in Columbia, SC
With the last frost in Columbia typically around March 1, this week marks your final chance to harden off cold-sensitive seedlings before the heat truly kicks into gear. While your outdoor beds are primed for a major push with squash, beans, and melons ready to go, keep an eye on those early garlic crops as they enter their critical bulbing stage.
The next 7 days
Columbia, SCGrowing in Columbia right now
- Columbia's clay-heavy soils drain slowly in heavy rains; create raised mounds or shallow ridges immediately for your okra, bush beans, and cucumbers to ensure roots don't sit in water.
- Since transplants are not listed as ready this week, focus entirely on direct sowing warm-season crops like Malabar spinach and pole beans which thrive when soil temps consistently hit the 70s.
- Protect your young French marigolds and nasturtiums from the occasional late chill wind common in early spring by using temporary row covers until daytime highs stabilize above 65°F.
Sow this week
13 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Summer Savory
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
36 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow pole beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout summer.
- Mulch around newly planted squash and zucchini to retain moisture as days get warmer.
- Thin out crowded seedlings of sunflowers and sweet corn to ensure proper air circulation.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for squash vine borers attacking your zucchini, yellow summer squash, and pumpkins as the larvae hatch in response to warming soil temperatures.
- Monitor okra plants closely for aphids and spider mites, which often explode in populations on young growth during Columbia's humid spring weather.
- Check basil, Thai basil, and garden verbena stems for flea beetles, a common early-season pest that can chew holes before the foliage hardens off.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to encourage strong root growth while keeping foliage dry to prevent disease.
Snip off spent flowers from your yellow summer squash plants every few days to keep them producing more fruit.
Columbia gardening questions
3When should I plant my summer squash and zucchini in Columbia?
You can direct sow these crops immediately as soil warmth allows; wait until the danger of frost is completely past, which aligns with your March 1 average last frost date for Zone 8b.
Is it safe to transplant my garlic now?
No, this week's list indicates you should harvest soon rather than plant new garlic; wait until autumn for the next planting cycle in Columbia.
How do I manage the heat stress on my okra if a sudden warm spell hits?
Provide afternoon shade cloth during extreme heat waves and ensure consistent deep watering, as Columbia's clay soil can dry out rapidly once temperatures climb above 85°F.
Other cities in zone 8b
12See the full zone 8b guide → · Plan your Columbia garden in SproutGuide →