Frost dates for Leighton, 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 20
typical year
Safe to plant
April 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 8
typical year
Growing season
233 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 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 6 – 27 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Onions | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Kale | Jan 9 – 23 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 27 – Oct 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 9 – 23 | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 2 – 16 | Apr 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 6 – May 4 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 6 – Aug 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 6 – May 4 | – |
| Basil | Mar 2 – 16 | Apr 13 – 20 | – |
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 | April 6 | March 20 | February 28 |
| Fall frost before | October 25 | November 8 | November 26 |
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 March 6 (March 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 20.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Leighton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MUSCLE SHOALS RGNL AP, AL US (USW00013896), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 6 miles:
35646, 35661
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.