Frost dates for McKenzie, 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
April 2
typical year
Safe to plant
April 18
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 31
typical year
Growing season
211 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 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 5 – 26 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Onions | – | Mar 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Kale | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 8 – 22 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 19 – Oct 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 25 – May 9 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 18 – May 16 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 18 – Aug 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 18 – May 16 | – |
| Basil | Mar 14 – 28 | Apr 25 – May 2 | – |
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 18 | April 2 | March 16 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | October 31 | November 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 21 (April 7 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 9.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
McKenzie, Huntingdon, Hollow Rock, Clarksburg, McLemoresville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HUNTINGDON WTP, TN US (USC00404417), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
38201, 38235, 38317, 38318, 38321, 38342, 38344, 38387, 38390
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.