Frost dates for Kill Devil Hills, 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 15
typical year
Safe to plant
March 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 6
typical year
Growing season
266 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 | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 1 – 22 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 15 – Mar 29 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Onions | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Kale | Jan 4 – 18 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Broccoli | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Cabbage | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 25 – Nov 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 30 – Sep 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | – |
| Basil | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – 13 | – |
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 | March 30 | March 15 | February 23 |
| Fall frost before | November 19 | December 6 | December 27 |
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 February 28 (March 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 25.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 6 towns.
Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Southern Shores, Manteo, Duck
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MANTEO AP, NC US (USW00013766), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 11 zip codes, all within 21 miles:
27941, 27948, 27949, 27953, 27954, 27959, 27964, 27966, 27968, 27978, 27981
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.