Frost dates for W Kerr Scott Resv, 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 7
typical year
Safe to plant
April 22
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 1
typical year
Growing season
208 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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 10 – 31 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Onions | – | Mar 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Cabbage | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 20 – Oct 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 22 – May 20 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 22 – Aug 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 22 – May 20 | – |
| Basil | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 6 | – |
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 22 | April 7 | March 24 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | November 1 | November 12 |
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 26 (April 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 11.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station W KERR SCOTT RESV, NC US (USC00319555), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
28606, 28624, 28654, 28665
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.