Frost dates for Chapel Hill, 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 29
typical year
Safe to plant
April 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 5
typical year
Growing season
222 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 | – | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Onions | – | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 8 – 29 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Mar 1 – 15 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Kale | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 1 – 15 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Cabbage | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 24 – Oct 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 12 – Aug 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Basil | Mar 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – 26 | – |
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 | April 12 | March 29 | March 11 |
| Fall frost before | October 23 | November 5 | November 21 |
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 March 15 (April 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 17.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Chapel Hill
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHAPEL HILL WILLIAMS AP, NC US (USW00093785), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 8 miles:
27713
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.