Frost dates for New Orleans Alvin Callender Fl, 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 18
typical year
Safe to plant
March 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 6
typical year
Growing season
295 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 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 7 – 28 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 21 – Mar 4 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Onions | – | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Kale | Dec 10 – 24 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Broccoli | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Cabbage | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 25 – Nov 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 16 – 30 | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 13 – Sep 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | – |
| Basil | Feb 6 – 20 | Mar 20 – 27 | – |
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 13 | February 18 | January 17 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | December 6 | January 7 |
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 31 (March 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 30.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station NEW ORLEANS ALVIN CALLENDER FL, LA US (USW00012958), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 8 miles:
70040
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.