Frost dates for Fuquay-Varina, 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 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 1
typical year
Growing season
213 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 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Onions | – | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Cabbage | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 20 – Oct 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 11 – 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 15 – May 13 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 15 – Aug 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 15 – May 13 | – |
| Basil | Mar 11 – 25 | Apr 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | April 1 | March 17 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | November 1 | November 15 |
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 22 (April 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 10.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Fuquay-Varina, Garner
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GARNER, NC US (USC00313238), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
27529, 27592, 27603
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.