Frost dates for Montgomery, 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 4
typical year
Safe to plant
March 23
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 18
typical year
Growing season
262 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 4 – Mar 18 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Onions | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Beets | – | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Kale | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Broccoli | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Cabbage | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 7 – 28 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 23 – Sep 9 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | – |
| Basil | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | – |
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 23 | March 4 | February 9 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 18 | December 10 |
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 17 (March 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 4.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Montgomery, Pike Road, Wetumpka
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MONTGOMERY 6SW, AL US (USC00015553), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 14 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
36052, 36057, 36064, 36069, 36105, 36106, 36107, 36109, 36110, 36111, 36114, 36115, 36116, 36117
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.