Frost dates for Cedar Is, NC
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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
March 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 30
typical year
Growing season
261 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 11 – Mar 25 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Onions | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Broccoli | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Cabbage | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19 – Nov 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 30 – Sep 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Basil | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – 13 | – |
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 30 | March 11 | February 19 |
| Fall frost before | November 11 | November 30 | December 20 |
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 27 (March 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CEDAR IS, NC US (USC00311606), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
28511, 28520, 28577, 28581
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.