Frost dates for Clayton, 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
April 7
typical year
Safe to plant
April 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 3
typical year
Growing season
211 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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 10 – 31 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Onions | – | Mar 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Kale | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Broccoli | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Cabbage | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 22 – Oct 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 27 – May 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 20 – Aug 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Basil | Mar 16 – 30 | Apr 27 – May 4 | – |
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 20 | April 7 | March 23 |
| Fall frost before | October 22 | November 3 | November 16 |
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 27 (April 12 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 14.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Clayton, Knightdale
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CLAYTON WTP, NC US (USC00311820), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
27520, 27545
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.