Frost dates for Fort Smith, AR
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 25
typical year
Safe to plant
April 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 6
typical year
Growing season
224 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 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 25 – Apr 8 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Onions | – | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Kale | Jan 14 – 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Broccoli | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Cabbage | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 25 – Oct 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 11 – May 9 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 11 – Aug 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 11 – May 9 | – |
| Basil | Mar 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – 25 | – |
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 11 | March 25 | March 4 |
| Fall frost before | October 23 | November 6 | November 21 |
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 11 (April 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 17.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 17 towns.
Fort Smith, Van Buren, Greenwood, Barling, Pocola, OK, Roland, OK, Lavaca, Spiro, OK, Arkoma, OK, Kibler, Hackett, Rock Island, OK, Bonanza, Central City, Fort Coffee, OK, Midland, Moffett, OK
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FT SMITH RGNL AP, AR US (USW00013964), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 19 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
72901, 72903, 72904, 72905, 72908, 72916, 72923, 72936, 72937, 72940, 72941, 72945, 72956, 74901, 74902, 74932, 74946, 74954, 74959
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.