Frost dates for Alexandria, LA
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 2
typical year
Safe to plant
March 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 17
typical year
Growing season
260 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 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 2 – Mar 16 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Beets | – | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Dec 8 – 22 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 6 – 27 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 25 – Sep 8 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | March 2 | February 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 17 | December 9 |
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 15 (March 13 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 1.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ALEXANDRIA INTL AP, LA US (USW00093915), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
71303, 71407, 71424
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.