What to plant this week in Columbia, SC
With Columbia, SC holding steady in Zone 8b and the last frost averaging March 1st, you have a full head start on your warm-season harvests right now. This week marks the peak window to plant heat-loving staples like okra, bush beans, and yellow summer squash, as the soil has fully warmed past our typical chilly spring lulls.
The next 7 days
Columbia, SCGrowing in Columbia right now
- Focus on drainage first: Columbia's clay-heavy subsoil holds water in winter but dries quickly in summer; amend beds with compost before sowing cucumbers or zucchini to prevent root rot.
- Beat the humidity: South Carolina's high humidity this time of year invites fungal issues, so space plants wide for airflow when transplanting your basil and nasturtium crops.
- Watch the early heat: While we are still in spring, temperatures can spike quickly; cover young sunflowers or pole beans with shade cloth if forecasts predict 90°F+ overnight lows.
- Soil prep tip: Our local soils often need extra phosphorus for root development in squash varieties; consider a light side-dressing of bone meal now before the heavy rains arrive.
Sow this week
17 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Summer Savory
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
36 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
- 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 through summer.
- Thin out dense seedlings of zucchini and yellow summer squash to prevent overcrowding.
- Apply a light layer of mulch around established crops to retain soil moisture as summer heat builds.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early aphid colonies on your newly sown French marigolds and basil; spray with insecticidal soap or release ladybugs immediately.
- Monitor cucumber beetles closely on any bush beans or yellow summer squash planted this week, as they move fast in our humid conditions.
- Check the undersides of Malabar spinach and okra leaves for spider mites, which thrive in the coming dry spells despite our general humidity.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants in the morning to keep foliage dry and reduce disease risk during hot days.
Harvest watermelons when they produce a hollow sound upon tapping, indicating full ripeness.
Columbia gardening questions
3Can I still start my tomatoes indoors now, or should I wait?
Since Columbia's last frost is typically March 1st, you are slightly past the ideal indoor-start window for most tomato varieties. Instead, focus your energy on direct-sowing warm-season crops like bush beans and okra that thrive in current soil temperatures.
How do I protect my zucchini from squash bugs this week?
Planting yellow summer squash or zucchini now gives you a head start, but inspect seedlings daily for the tell-tale shiny eggs on leaf undersides. Hand-pick any eggs found and avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides that might harm beneficial predators.
Is it too late to plant garlic in Columbia before winter?
No, you can still sow garlic cloves now as we approach our first frost date of December 1st; ensure they are planted in well-drained soil to avoid rotting during our wet winters. Choose hardy varieties if possible, though most will establish roots effectively this week.
Other cities in zone 8b
12See the full zone 8b guide → · Plan your Columbia garden in SproutGuide →