What to plant this week in Savannah, GA
With your last frost historically occurring around February 6th, the air in Savannah is already warm enough to focus entirely on vigorous summer harvests rather than tender transplants. This week marks a critical window for picking your sprawling squash varieties and heat-loving legumes before the mid-July heat spikes further.
The next 7 days
Savannah, GAGrowing in Savannah right now
- Savannah's heavy clay-loam soil retains moisture well but drains slowly, so ensure raised beds have excellent drainage during our frequent summer thunderstorms to prevent root rot on squash.
- The city's humid microclimate accelerates growth for beans and melons this week; water deeply in the late afternoon to avoid evaporating moisture while reducing fungal pressure.
- Native salt marsh soil tendencies can cause nutrient imbalances, so apply a light dose of compost tea now to boost nitrogen levels for your heavy feeders like okra and sweet corn.
Sow this week
2 crops- Daikon Radish
- 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
- Succession sow fast-maturing crops like Daikon Radish or Ornamental Allium to extend your season's variety.
- Mulch around heavy feeders like Okra and Bush Beans to retain moisture as summer heat intensifies.
- Deadhead Zinnias and Cosmos regularly to encourage continuous blooming for pollinators.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch closely for squash vine borers attacking butternut and acorn squash stems, which become the primary vector in our humid conditions by mid-spring.
- Spider mites often explode on basil and zinnias during dry spells between rain events, so inspect undersides of leaves daily this week.
- Cutworms frequently attack young corn and bean seedlings at night when temperatures hover near 80°F, so check collars around stems before damage occurs.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to reduce evaporation, especially during hot spells.
Harvest Edamame and Green Beans every two days to keep plants producing their best pods.
Savannah gardening questions
3When should I start pulling my winter squash varieties like butternut for storage?
You can harvest your winter squashes anytime this week once the vines begin to yellow and turn brown naturally in our 9a climate. Cut them with a few inches of stem attached and let them cure indoors on newspaper before storing in a cool, dry place.
How do I manage heat stress on my basil and Thai basil during Savannah's summer?
Pinch back the tops of your basil plants twice this week to encourage bushier growth that can better withstand our intense afternoon sun. Mulch heavily around the base to keep roots cool, as deep soil moisture is essential for preventing leaf scorch.
Is now a good time to plant garlic in Savannah despite being late?
While ideal planting usually happens in fall, you can still sow hard-neck garlic varieties this week if your goal is an early spring harvest next year. Ensure the cloves are planted 2 inches deep and watered lightly, though yields may be slightly smaller than fall-planted bulbs.
Other cities in zone 9a
9See the full zone 9a guide → · Plan your Savannah garden in SproutGuide →