What to plant this week in Asheville, NC
Asheville's week-long 5°F chill has officially settled in, marking the true end of your winter hardening-off period for Zone 7b gardens. With frost dates now firmly past March 28, you can aggressively push out warm-season crops like Yellow Summer Squash and Zucchini while harvesting that sweet crop of Garlic to dry.
The next 7 days
Asheville, NCGrowing in Asheville right now
- Take advantage of our steep mountain slopes by planting Bush Beans and French Marigolds in raised beds to improve drainage during our frequent spring rain showers.
- Our rocky, acidic mountain soil demands a heavy dose of compost before transplanting any late-sown crops like Okra or Malabar Spinach this week.
- Monitor your microclimates near the Blue Ridge Parkway; cooler valley air can delay Pollination for Sweet Corn and Watermelon by a few days compared to lower elevations.
- Use the dry spells between Asheville's typical afternoon thunderstorms to apply mulch around Pumpkin and Winter Squash to retain moisture.
Sow this week
4 crops- Bush Bean
- French Marigold
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
37 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- 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
- Start succession sowing with Pole Beans or Peas every two weeks for a continuous supply of fresh pods.
- Pinch back the tops of Basil to encourage bushier growth before the heat sets in.
- Apply a light layer of compost around harvested crops to replenish soil nutrients.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early aphid colonies forming on the new growth of your Pole Beans and Scarlet Runner Beans as temperatures climb above 50°F.
- Spider Mites often return quickly in our dry summer heat, so inspect the undersides of Zinnia and Cosmos leaves regularly this week.
- Slug pressure remains high near the Rhododendron thickets where they devour young Basil and Edamame seedlings overnight.
Watering this week
Provide about 1 to 2 inches of water per week, ensuring deep watering during hot afternoons.
Harvest Basil in the morning when essential oils are most concentrated for peak flavor.
Asheville gardening questions
3Can I finally move my Sweet Potato slips out into the Asheville garden now?
Yes, with last frost averaging March 28 behind us, the ground is warm enough to transplant Sweet Potato cuttings directly into well-drained soil. Ensure your beds are mulched immediately after planting to keep roots cool during our humid springs.
My Zucchini plants look stunted despite being in full sun; what's wrong?
In Asheville, compacted clay mixed with rock often suffocates squash roots, especially on shaded slopes. Loosen the top 6 inches of soil around the base and apply a thick layer of compost to encourage rapid root expansion for your Yellow Summer Squash harvest.
Should I plant Garlic in late May or wait until next fall?
It is too late for spring-planted Garlic in Zone 7b, as it needs winter chilling to bulb properly; focus instead on harvesting this week if your cloves are already shooting. Save any remaining garlic bulbs from last year's harvest and replant them in the fall for a summer crop next year.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Asheville garden in SproutGuide →