Why a Georgia-Specific Calendar Matters

Most flower growing guides are written for the Pacific Northwest or New England. They assume cool summers, mild winters, and a growing season that doesn't start sweating until August. That is not Georgia. Zone 7b/8a presents a completely different set of conditions — hot humid summers, mild winters, the occasional late frost that punches you in February just when you thought you were safe.

This calendar is built from over a decade of growing cut flowers in Loganville, Georgia. It reflects what actually works in red clay, in 95-degree July heat, in the weird warm spells we get in January that make you want to start seeds too early. Use it as a guide, not gospel — every year is a little different.

January: Planning and Ordering

January is desk work. Order seeds now. Our seed orders go out the first week of January, before the most popular varieties sell out. We order from Johnny's Selected Seeds (primary), Floret (dahlia tubers, specialty ranunculus), and Select Seeds (heirlooms and unusual varieties).

This month we're also starting: snapdragons under grow lights (they need 8–10 weeks to size up before transplant). If you have greenhouse space, sweet peas go out as winter sowings this month.

February: Seeds Under Lights

The seeding starts in earnest. Under grow lights, we're starting:

  • Lisianthus — The slowest, most finicky crop we grow. 5+ months from seed to bloom. Start now and they'll be ready for summer markets.
  • Stocks and larkspur — Both benefit from direct sowing outside now if temps stay above 25°F at night.
  • Anemones and ranunculus corms — Pre-soak and plant in the greenhouse in February for March–May blooms.

Late February: Watch the extended forecast carefully. We've had 70-degree days in February followed by a killing frost in March. Don't transplant anything outdoors yet.

March: Spring Awakens (Sort Of)

March is the most exciting and most treacherous month on the farm. The daffodils and tulips are peaking. Sweet peas that were planted in fall or winter are climbing and starting to bloom. The greenhouse is packed with seedlings.

Outdoor planting starts cautiously mid-to-late March after the last expected frost date (March 15–20 for our area, though we've seen frost into early April). We start transplanting cold-hardy crops:

  • Snapdragons (can handle light frost)
  • Stock and larkspur
  • Bachelor's button (direct sow)
  • Orlaya and ammi (direct sow)
If you can walk barefoot on the soil comfortably, it's warm enough to start planting tender crops. Before that, cold-tolerant only.

April: Main Planting Season Begins

April is one of the two busiest months on the farm (October is the other). Tax Day is our unofficial marker for transitioning from cold-tolerant to warm-season planting. After April 15, we're clear to plant everything.

  • Dahlia tubers — Plant mid-to-late April, once soil is 60°F+. Do not rush this; cold wet soil rots tubers.
  • Zinnia, sunflower, cosmos — Direct sow after last frost. They germinate fast and catch up quickly.
  • Basil and celosia — Transplant starts outdoors once nights stay above 50°F reliably.

Harvest this month: sweet peas (peak!), anemones, ranunculus, snapdragons, larkspur, stock. This is one of the prettiest months in the cutting garden.

May: Full Production Kicks In

Sweet peas start fading as temps warm. Everything else is ramping up. Zinnias are 4–6 inches tall. Dahlia eyes are emerging from the soil. The farm starts looking like a farm.

This is also when we transplant our lisianthus plugs to the field (they've been growing under lights since January — those 5 months pay off now). We stake dahlia beds as soon as the plants reach 8–10 inches.

June: First Summer Blooms

Zinnias start cutting in late June. Sunflowers follow. The farm transitions from the delicate spring palette (soft pinks, mauves, lavenders) to the rich, saturated summer palette (vivid oranges, magentas, golds). It's a different kind of beautiful.

Early dahlias (particularly the smaller varieties) may start blooming by late June in a warm year.

July–August: Peak Summer Production

This is the hardest and most productive time of year. Temperatures hit 95°F+ regularly. We harvest in the early morning (before 8am) to avoid stress-cutting. Dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos are all in full swing simultaneously.

Succession planting matters in summer: we direct-sow zinnia and sunflower seeds every 2–3 weeks through July to keep fresh flushes coming through September.

September–October: Autumn Glory

September brings cooler nights and dahlias go absolutely wild. This is peak dahlia season — the best blooms of the year come in the last weeks before frost. October is when we cut the most and the fastest, racing the calendar.

We also direct-sow: larkspur, bachelor's button, and sweet peas in October for spring blooms. These overwinter as small plants and bloom earlier than spring-sown seed.

November–December: Wind Down and Rest

First frost (typically mid-to-late November for us) kills the dahlias. We dig tubers before the ground freezes, cure them, divide, and store for next spring. The farm goes quiet. We plant cover crops (Austrian winter peas, crimson clover) in the beds to build soil over winter.

December is for rest, seed orders, and planning what's going to change next year. It's the month we look at our harvest records, talk about what worked and what didn't, and start dreaming about next season.

Questions about what to grow in your Georgia garden? We're happy to talk through variety selection and timing. Reach out at hello@sugaroaklane.com or visit our seeds & bulbs shop for varieties tested in our own fields.