Frost dates for Chalmette, 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
February 10
typical year
Safe to plant
March 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 17
typical year
Growing season
309 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 | – | Jan 13 – 27 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 13 – Feb 24 | Nov 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Jan 13 – 27 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Beets | – | Jan 13 – 27 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Dec 2 – 16 | Jan 13 – 27 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Dec 2 – 16 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Jan 13 – 27 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 8 – Oct 8 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | – |
| Basil | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 15 – 22 | – |
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 8 | February 10 | January 12 |
| Fall frost before | November 21 | December 17 | January 14 |
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 January 26 (February 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 2.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHALMETTE, LA US (USC00166130), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
70032, 70043, 70075, 70117, 70131
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.