What to plant this week in Shreveport, LA
Shreveport gardeners, with the last frost officially behind us on March 1st, are fully in the swing of late winter sowing and early harvests. This week marks a critical transition where cool-weather crops like garlic and daikon radish can be planted directly into the warming soil, while your summer staples like cucumbers, okra, and beans begin their rapid growth cycle.
The next 7 days
Shreveport, LAGrowing in Shreveport right now
- The heavy clay loam typical of East Texas expands significantly in this heat; add generous amounts of compost to improve drainage for newly transplanted squash varieties before they develop deep taproots.
- While the humid Gulf influence boosts growth rates for Malabar Spinach and Cowpeas, monitor irrigation closely as Shreveport's unpredictable late-winter showers can easily turn compacted clay into mud that suffocates seedlings.
- Take advantage of the mild 8b winter to sow cold-hardy Daikon Radish now; they thrive in our current temps before the intense summer heat hits later this spring.
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 bush beans and cowpeas every two weeks for a continuous harvest through late summer.
- Mulch around heavy feeders like corn, squash, and melons to retain moisture and suppress weeds as temperatures rise.
- Pinch back the tops of basil and borage regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent flowering.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early-season aphids colonizing the tender new shoots of Basil and Sweet Corn as temperatures consistently stay above 15°F.
- Snails and slugs become highly active during damp, cloudy spells near Lake Caddo; place beer traps or hand-pick them from young Zucchini and Pole Bean plants tonight.
Watering this week
Provide deep, consistent watering at the base of plants every 2-3 days to prevent blossom drop on squash and melons.
Harvest acorn and butternut squash when they have fully ripened and developed a hard rind for best winter storage.
Shreveport gardening questions
3Can I transplant my seedlings now that the frost date is March 1?
Technically yes, but hold off on delicate crops like Celery if you haven't hardened them off. For hardy items like Garlic or Ornamental Alliums, direct sowing into the ground right now is safer than risking transplant shock in our compacted clay.
My Butternut and Delicata Squash plants look stunted; should I fertilize?
Hold off on heavy nitrogen fertilizer for at least two more weeks to avoid leafy growth over fruit production. Instead, apply a light layer of aged manure around the base to encourage root development in our native soil conditions.
When is the best time to harvest my Okra and Bush Beans?
Pick your Okra every other day once pods are 2-3 inches long to prevent them from becoming woody, and snip Bush Beans when they reach 4-6 inches for the sweetest flavor before the heat accelerates maturity.
Other cities in zone 8b
12See the full zone 8b guide → · Plan your Shreveport garden in SproutGuide →