Frost dates for Lexington, 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
March 25
typical year
Safe to plant
April 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 7
typical year
Growing season
229 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 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 25 – Apr 8 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Onions | – | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Kale | Jan 14 – 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Cabbage | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 26 – Oct 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 10 – Aug 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Basil | Mar 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – 24 | – |
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 10 | March 25 | March 4 |
| Fall frost before | October 26 | November 7 | November 24 |
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 10 (March 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 6 towns.
Lexington, West Columbia, Springdale, South Congaree, Pine Ridge, Gaston
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station COLUMBIA, SC US (USW00013883), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
29053, 29072, 29073, 29169, 29170, 29172, 29212
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.