Frost dates for Elon, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
April 17
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 2
typical year
Growing season
215 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Onions | – | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Beets | – | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Kale | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Broccoli | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Cabbage | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 21 – Oct 12 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 17 – May 15 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 17 – Aug 24 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 17 – May 15 | – |
| Basil | Mar 13 – 27 | Apr 24 – May 1 | – |
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 17 | April 1 | March 13 |
| Fall frost before | October 21 | November 2 | 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 18 (April 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 13.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Elon, Gibsonville, Alamance, Sedalia, Whitsett
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BURLINGTON ALAMANCE AP, NC US (USW00093783), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
27201, 27215, 27249, 27283, 27342, 27377
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.