Frost dates for Mooresville, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 24
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 28
typical year
Growing season
203 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 16 – Oct 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 24 – May 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 24 – May 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 24 – May 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 24 – Aug 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 24 – May 22 | – |
| Basil | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – 8 | – |
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 24 | April 9 | March 24 |
| Fall frost before | October 15 | October 28 | November 8 |
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 28 (April 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 6.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Mooresville, China Grove, Cleveland
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SALISBURY 9 WNW, NC US (USC00317618), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
27013, 28023, 28115, 28125, 28147
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.