Frost dates for Ocracoke, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
March 21
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 20
typical year
Growing season
293 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 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 1 – 22 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 1 – Mar 15 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | Feb 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Beets | – | Feb 1 – 15 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 1 – 15 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Dec 7 – 21 | Feb 1 – 15 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 21 – Oct 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | – |
| Basil | Feb 14 – 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | – |
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 21 | March 1 | February 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 29 | December 20 | January 14 |
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 8 (March 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 5.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station OCRACOKE, NC US (USC00316349), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 2 miles:
27960
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.