Frost dates for Ripley, 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 26
typical year
Safe to plant
April 14
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 6
typical year
Growing season
227 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 26 – Mar 12 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 26 – Apr 9 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Onions | – | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 5 – 19 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 5 – 26 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Kale | Jan 15 – 29 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Broccoli | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Cabbage | Jan 1 – 15 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 25 – Oct 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – 28 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 10 – 24 | Apr 21 – May 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 14 – May 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 14 – May 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 14 – May 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 14 – Aug 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 14 – May 12 | – |
| Basil | Mar 10 – 24 | Apr 21 – 28 | – |
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 14 | March 26 | March 8 |
| Fall frost before | October 25 | November 6 | November 22 |
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 14 (April 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Ripley, Henning, Gates
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station RIPLEY, TN US (USC00407710), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
38037, 38063
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.