Frost dates for Hillsborough, 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 31
typical year
Safe to plant
April 19
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 4
typical year
Growing season
217 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 3 – 17 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 3 – 24 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Onions | – | Mar 3 – 17 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 10 – 24 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 10 – 31 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Kale | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 17 – 31 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Cabbage | Jan 6 – 20 | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 23 – Oct 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 26 – May 10 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 19 – May 10 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 19 – May 17 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 19 – May 10 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 19 – Aug 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 19 – May 17 | – |
| Basil | Mar 15 – 29 | Apr 26 – May 3 | – |
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 19 | March 31 | March 14 |
| Fall frost before | October 22 | November 4 | November 18 |
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 19 (April 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 15.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Hillsborough
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DURHAM 11 W, NC US (USW00003758), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 2 miles:
27514
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.