What to plant this week in Memphis, TN
With Memphis holding steady above the 10°F minimum and frost dates now safely in the past for mid-March, this week marks your final chance to sow warm-season giants like watermelon and summer squash before the ground dries out. Focus immediately on harvesting your early bush beans, okra, and sweet corn while protecting young melons from the occasional late chill that can still sneak into our clay-heavy river valleys.
The next 7 days
Memphis, TNGrowing in Memphis right now
- Memphis clay soils bake hard in this dry spell; break up crusts with a garden fork to allow water infiltration for newly sown cowpeas and cucumbers.
- Our distinct humidity spike often follows these dry patches, so inspect seedlings daily for fungal issues on the low-hanging leaves of zinnias and sunflowers.
- Take advantage of the warm nights to transplant any missed starter plants, as our 8a zone rarely sees hard freezes after March 13th.
- Avoid working soil when it is bone-dry; add a light layer of compost or straw mulch to retain moisture in our porous river bottom terrain.
Sow this week
30 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
41 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the summer.
- Apply a light layer of mulch around warm-season vegetables to retain soil moisture and keep roots cool.
- Pinch back the tops of basil plants regularly to encourage bushier growth before harvesting leaves.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are exploding on the undersides of bean plants and zinnias due to the current dry, warm conditions.
- Monitor squash vines for vine borer damage as temperatures consistently climb above 85°F this week.
- Late-season aphid colonies may form on new growth of nasturtiums and shiso if humidity rises sharply overnight.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to keep moisture consistent but avoid wetting the foliage to prevent disease.
Harvest beans when pods are young and tender to maximize flavor and encourage further production from each plant.
Memphis gardening questions
3Can I still start my winter squash seeds indoors now that the last frost is behind us?
No, it is too late to start squash indoors; these long-season crops should be direct-sown into warm soil this week in Memphis. If you missed the window, wait until early August for a fall crop.
My okra and beans are growing fast but look pale—should I fertilize them now?
Hold off on heavy nitrogen fertilizer; these warm-season crops thrive on existing soil nutrients if they were amended before planting. Over-fertilizing right now can encourage leafy growth at the expense of your fruit production.
Is it safe to harvest my garlic bulbs any time this week, or do I need more frost?
You can lift your garlic anytime between late September and mid-November in Memphis, so you are well past the ideal window. Dig gently now if they have dried out, but be careful not to damage the roots of crops like celery that still need a few more weeks.
Other cities in zone 8a
11See the full zone 8a guide → · Plan your Memphis garden in SproutGuide →