Frost dates for Helena-West Helena, 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 15
typical year
Safe to plant
April 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 16
typical year
Growing season
246 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 15 – Mar 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 1 – 22 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 15 – Mar 29 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Beets | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Kale | Jan 4 – 18 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Broccoli | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Cabbage | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Sep 7 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | March 15 | February 27 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 16 | December 4 |
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 3 (March 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 29.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Helena-West Helena, Friars Point, MS, Lake View, Coahoma, MS, Lula, MS
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HELENA, AR US (USC00033242), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
38617, 38626, 38631, 38644, 72342, 72355, 72369, 72390
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.