Frost dates for Bay Minette, AL
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
February 28
typical year
Safe to plant
March 21
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 25
typical year
Growing season
272 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 31 – Mar 14 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Onions | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 7 – 28 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Beets | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Kale | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Broccoli | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Cabbage | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 14 – Nov 4 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 21 – Sep 16 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | – |
| Basil | Feb 14 – 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 21 | February 28 | February 3 |
| Fall frost before | November 7 | November 25 | December 20 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 12 (March 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 12.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Bay Minette, Creola, Mount Vernon
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BAY MINETTE, AL US (USC00010583), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 22 miles:
32568, 36505, 36507, 36512, 36513, 36525, 36560, 36562, 36578, 36579
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.