Frost dates for Highlands, 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 30
typical year
Safe to plant
May 17
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 15
typical year
Growing season
167 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 | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 2 – 23 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 2 – May 14 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Beets | – | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – 30 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 17 – 31 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 15 – 29 | May 24 – Jun 7 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 17 – Jun 7 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 17 – Jun 14 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 17 – Jun 7 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 17 – Aug 6 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 17 – Jun 14 | – |
| Basil | Apr 12 – 26 | May 24 – 31 | – |
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 | May 17 | April 30 | April 13 |
| Fall frost before | October 3 | October 15 | October 29 |
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 April 16 (May 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 26.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Highlands
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HIGHLANDS, NC US (USC00314055), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 1 miles:
28741
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.