Frost dates for Charleston, SC
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
February 4
typical year
Safe to plant
March 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 30
typical year
Growing season
321 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 | – | Jan 7 – 21 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 7 – 28 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 7 – Feb 18 | Nov 18 – Dec 2 |
| Onions | – | Jan 7 – 21 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 14 – 28 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Jan 7 – 21 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Kale | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 7 – 21 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Broccoli | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Cabbage | Nov 12 – 26 | Jan 7 – 21 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 18 – Dec 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 4 – Oct 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Basil | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – 18 | – |
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 4 | February 4 | January 5 |
| Fall frost before | December 2 | December 30 | January 25 |
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 January 24 (February 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 8.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Charleston, James Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHARLESTON CITY, SC US (USW00013782), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
29401, 29403, 29407, 29409, 29412, 29424, 29425, 29455
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.