Does Zone 8a Have a Fall Planting Season?

[BeckyLa]

I'm in N. Louisiana, near Arkansas, and was thinking of planting tomatoes and potatoes. I plant my tomatoes in pots and can move them into my carport if a freeze threatens and the potatoes would be in a wire cage so I could throw a blanket over them. Any thoughts?

 

[Tutter]

Hi, Becky!

What are your usual day and night temperatures then, and do you want to plant them now, or in a month or so?

 

[BeckyLa]

My weather site says that for September last year is:

Mean Temperature 75 F / 23 C
Max Temperature 86 F / 30 C 102 F / 38 C (1935)
Min Temperature 63 F / 17 C 41 F / 5 C (1916)

And for October last year is was:

Mean Temperature 71 F / 21 C 64 F / 17 C
Max Temperature 76 F / 24 C 77 F / 25 C 90 F / 32 C (1953)
Min Temperature 66 F / 18 C 51 F / 10 C 32 F / 0 C (1952)

Is this the information you are looking for?

I thought of planting in early September. Should I go earlier or will it still be too hot?

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I think early September would be your best bet.

Since you can bring in your tomatoes and potatoes then that should help. Tomatoes though need average temps above 60 for a few months to actually produce so it's not only about protecting them from frost. I would recommend using an early variety and actually starting them now.

Other cool season crops you can start in September and keep them through fall.

Basically what you want to do is take the maturity dates for what you're wanting to plant, count backwards from the first expected frost and add a few weeks. This will give you a window of when to plant.