Frost dates for Fairhope, 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
March 10
typical year
Safe to plant
March 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 17
typical year
Growing season
253 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 | – | Feb 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 10 – Mar 24 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Feb 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Beets | – | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Dec 16 – 30 | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 6 – 27 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 30 – Sep 8 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Basil | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – 13 | – |
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 30 | March 10 | February 20 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 17 | December 6 |
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 26 (March 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Fairhope
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FAIRHOPE 2 NE, AL US (USC00012813), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 6 miles:
36532, 36559, 36564
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.