Frost dates for Swanquarter Ferry, 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 18
typical year
Safe to plant
March 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 25
typical year
Growing season
253 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 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 18 – Apr 1 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Onions | – | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Beets | – | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Kale | Jan 7 – 21 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Broccoli | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Cabbage | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 14 – Nov 4 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 31 – Sep 16 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – 14 | – |
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 31 | March 18 | February 27 |
| Fall frost before | November 8 | November 25 | December 13 |
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 5 (March 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 8.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SWANQUARTER FERRY, NC US (USC00318450), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 5 miles:
27885
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.