What to plant this week in Little Rock, AR
With Little Rock's heat already setting in and the last frost safely behind us on March 13, gardeners can aggressively sow cool-season crops like garlic now while preparing to harvest a massive volume of squash, beans, and melons by mid-summer. This week marks the transition from winter cleanup to full-blown southern growing season, where your focus shifts to managing rapid growth against intense afternoon sun.
The next 7 days
Little Rock, ARGrowing in Little Rock right now
- Take advantage of the current window to sow garlic immediately; its bulbs need the remaining cool soil energy before summer dormancy hits hard in June.
- While no transplants are listed for this specific week, ensure your existing squash and bean rows are heavily mulched with straw to conserve moisture against Little Rock's dry winds.
- Water deeply early in the morning rather than evening to prevent fungal issues on your harvest-ready cucurbits like acorn and butternut squash.
- Monitor soil nitrogen levels as crops like sweet corn, edamame, and pole beans are listed for harvest soon; side-dress with compost tea if leaves look pale.
Sow this week
2 crops- Garlic
- Ornamental Allium
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
44 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Morning Glory
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Purslane
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Harvest acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash while they are still tender before the skins toughen up.
- Succession sow bush beans, cowpeas, and pole beans now to extend your bean harvest into late summer.
- Pinch back basil and borage regularly to encourage lush growth and prevent bolting as heat increases.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch closely for southern bean leaf beetles and aphids on your bush and pole beans just as they begin to bulk up.
- Scout zucchini, acorn squash, and watermelons for cucumber beetles and bacterial wilt, which thrive in the rising humidity of late spring.
- Check ornamental alliums and cosmos for spider mites before temperatures climb high enough for them to explode in population.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of squash and melons every 2-3 days to keep fruits from cracking and foliage from rotting.
Don't forget to harvest garlic that is listed for both sowing now and harvesting soon, as it may be a late spring crop or early fall storage bulb depending on your specific microclimate.
Little Rock gardening questions
3When is the best time to plant garlic in Little Rock?
You should sow garlic now while the soil is still cool; planting in late winter ensures roots establish before the intense summer heat forces them into dormancy.
Which squash varieties are ready for harvest this week in Arkansas?
Acorn, butternut, and delicata squashes are listed for imminent harvest, so look for skins that have turned hard and deep color before picking.
How do I protect my okra from bolting too early in this heat?
Since Okra is already on the harvest list, plant it under shade cloth if available or keep it consistently watered to delay flowering and extend your picking window.
Other cities in zone 8a
11See the full zone 8a guide → · Plan your Little Rock garden in SproutGuide →