Frost dates for Rocky Mount, 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 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 7
typical year
Growing season
223 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 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 3 – 24 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Onions | – | Mar 3 – 17 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 10 – 24 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 10 – 31 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Kale | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 17 – 31 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Cabbage | Jan 6 – 20 | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 26 – Oct 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 9 – 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 13 – May 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 13 – May 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 13 – May 4 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 13 – Aug 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 13 – May 11 | – |
| Basil | Mar 9 – 23 | Apr 20 – 27 | – |
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 13 | March 31 | March 10 |
| Fall frost before | October 26 | November 7 | November 23 |
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 18 (April 4 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 17.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Rocky Mount, Pinetops, Whitakers, Macclesfield
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ROCKY MT 8 ESE, NC US (USC00317400), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
27801, 27809, 27815, 27852, 27864, 27891
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.