Frost dates for Chattanooga, TN
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 24
typical year
Safe to plant
April 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 9
typical year
Growing season
230 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 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Onions | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 3 – 17 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 3 – 24 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Beets | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Kale | Jan 13 – 27 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Broccoli | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 10 – 24 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Cabbage | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 28 – Oct 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 11 – 25 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 8 – May 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 8 – Aug 31 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 8 – May 6 | – |
| Basil | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 22 | – |
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 8 | March 24 | March 6 |
| Fall frost before | October 27 | November 9 | November 26 |
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 11 (March 30 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 4 towns.
Chattanooga, East Ridge, Collegedale, Ridgeside
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHATTANOOGA LOVELL AP, TN US (USW00013882), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 12 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
30726, 37302, 37315, 37351, 37363, 37404, 37406, 37411, 37412, 37415, 37416, 37421
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.