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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in Tennessee

The 32°F frost dates at the 148 weather stations in Tennessee with NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals, and the planting windows they give. These are long-term statistics, not a forecast. For the dates at the station nearest you, enter your ZIP code.

The planner uses the weather station nearest your ZIP code.

Frost dates across Tennessee

Each risk level uses a date with a set chance of frost. In spring, it's the chance of a 32°F frost on or after the last-frost date. In fall, it's the chance of the first 32°F frost on or before the first-frost date. At the Typical level (30%), the last frost ranges from March 24 to May 30 across the state, and the first frost from September 24 to November 9.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 148 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)April 4MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN USJune 11MT LECONTE, TN USSeptember 15MT LECONTE, TN USNovember 2MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US
Typical (30%)March 24MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN USMay 30MT LECONTE, TN USSeptember 24MT LECONTE, TN USNovember 9MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US
Aggressive (50%)March 16MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN USMay 22MT LECONTE, TN USOctober 1MT LECONTE, TN USNovember 16MEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US

Growing season length

The growing season is the stretch between the last spring frost and the first fall frost at 32°F. NOAA gives it as a length with a chance of being at least that long. Each risk level uses the length with that chance of a shorter season, so Conservative shows the shortest lengths.

Growing season at 32°F: shortest and longest among 148 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)105 daysMT LECONTE, TN US221 daysMEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)121 daysMT LECONTE, TN US235 daysMEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)132 daysMT LECONTE, TN US244 daysMEMPHIS INTL AP, TN US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
120–139 days1
140–159 days2
160–179 days23
180–199 days71
200–219 days48
220–239 days3

Planting windows across Tennessee

For each crop, the earliest start and the latest end of its Typical windows among the stations. A window at any one station is shorter and falls inside this span. Transplant dates are for seedlings.

Typical planting windows (30% frost dates): earliest start and latest end among stations
Crop and taskEarliest startLatest endStations
Basil: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Bean: Sow outdoorsMarch 24May 30148 of 148
Beet: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 30148 of 148
Beet: Sow for fallJuly 2September 20148 of 148
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJune 22September 20148 of 148
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallJune 2September 30148 of 148
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 17September 20148 of 148
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Carrot: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 30148 of 148
Carrot: Sow for fallJune 22September 10148 of 148
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsMarch 31June 6148 of 148
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsMarch 24May 30148 of 148
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Garlic: Plant for fallSeptember 24November 23148 of 148
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Lettuce: Sow for fallJune 22September 30148 of 148
Onion: Transplant or plant setsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Peas: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Peas: Sow for fallJune 30September 20148 of 148
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Potato: Plant seed potatoesFebruary 24May 30148 of 148
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Radish: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Radish: Sow for fallAugust 6October 20148 of 148
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Spinach: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Spinach: Sow for fallJuly 12October 3148 of 148
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsMarch 31June 6148 of 148
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsMarch 24May 30148 of 148
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsMarch 24May 30148 of 148
Sweet potato: Plant slipsMarch 31June 13148 of 148
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Turnip: Sow outdoorsFebruary 24May 16148 of 148
Turnip: Sow for fallJuly 12September 30148 of 148
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsApril 7June 13148 of 148

Weather stations in Tennessee

Every station in Tennessee with NOAA frost-date normals, with its Typical 32°F frost dates and growing season.

Data sources

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, frost dates, 1991–2020 normals, version 1.0.1
Files: us-climate-normals_1991-2020_v1.0.1_annualseasonal_multivariate_by-station_c20230404.tar.gz, inventory_30yr.txt from NOAA NCEI. Retrieved October 10, 2026.