Frost dates for Marion, 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 16
typical year
Safe to plant
April 3
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 11
typical year
Growing season
242 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 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 16 – Mar 30 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Onions | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Beets | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Jan 5 – 19 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 30 – Oct 21 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 3 – Sep 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Basil | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – 17 | – |
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 3 | March 16 | February 28 |
| Fall frost before | October 30 | November 11 | December 1 |
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 2 (March 22 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 11 towns.
Marion, Earle, Turrell, Crawfordsville, Clarkedale, Edmondson, Gilmore, Sunset, Anthonyville, Jennette, Jericho
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WEST MEMPHIS MUNI AP, AR US (USW00053959), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
72325, 72327, 72331, 72332, 72339, 72346, 72364, 72376, 72384
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.