Frost dates for Franklin, 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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
March 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 8
typical year
Growing season
303 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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 31 – Jan 21 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 14 – Feb 25 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Onions | – | Jan 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Jan 14 – 28 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Dec 3 – 17 | Jan 14 – 28 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Broccoli | Dec 3 – 17 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cabbage | Nov 19 – Dec 3 | Jan 14 – 28 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 27 – Nov 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 11 – Sep 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Basil | Feb 4 – 18 | Mar 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 | March 11 | February 11 | January 12 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | December 8 | January 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 January 27 (February 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 31.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Franklin, Baldwin
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FRANKLIN 3 NW, LA US (USC00163313), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
70514, 70522, 70523, 70538
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.