Frost dates for Jefferson, 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
May 7
typical year
Safe to plant
May 24
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 8
typical year
Growing season
154 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 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Onions | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jul 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 27 – Sep 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 24 – Jun 7 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 31 – Jun 14 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 24 – Jun 14 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 24 – Jun 21 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 24 – Jun 14 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 24 – Jul 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 24 – Jun 21 | – |
| Basil | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 31 – Jun 7 | – |
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 24 | May 7 | April 22 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 8 | October 22 |
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 25 (May 13 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Jefferson, West Jefferson, Lansing
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station JEFFERSON 2 E, NC US (USC00314496), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
28617, 28631, 28640, 28643, 28693, 28694
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.