Frost dates for Gretna, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
March 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 31
typical year
Growing season
330 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 21 – Jan 11 | Nov 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 4 – 25 | Nov 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 4 – Feb 15 | Nov 19 – Dec 3 |
| Onions | – | Jan 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 11 – Feb 1 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Kale | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Broccoli | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Cabbage | Nov 9 – 23 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 19 – Dec 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 2 – 16 | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 6 – Oct 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | – |
| Basil | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 13 – 20 | – |
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 6 | February 1 | January 2 |
| Fall frost before | December 1 | December 31 | January 29 |
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 23 (February 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 8.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Gretna
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TERRYTOWN 3S, LA US (USC00168941), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
70053, 70056, 70058, 70112, 70114, 70116, 70130, 70139, 70163
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.