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Asheville, North Carolina frost dates

Average last spring frost: April 9. Average first fall frost: October 28. That gives a growing season of about 201 days. For frost-tender plants, a safer planting date is April 27, after which a freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.
Last frost (50%)
Apr 9
1-in-10 risk after Apr 27
First frost (50%)
Oct 28
1-in-10 risk before Oct 14
Growing season
201 days
median frost-free days
Hard freeze (28°F)
Mar 26
median last 28°F in spring

Frost risk by date

Chance of frostSpring: frost afterFall: frost before
90%March 22November 9
70%April 2November 2
50%April 9October 28
30%April 17October 22
10%April 27October 14

Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 27. These are NOAA probabilities for the Asheville Regional Airport weather station (USW00003812, elevation 645 m), 1991–2020.

Asheville vegetable planting calendar

Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 9). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 27) is the cautious choice.

CropStart seeds indoorsPlant out
BeansMar 19Apr 16 (usually sown directly in the garden)
BroccoliJan 29Mar 12
Brussels sproutsJan 29Mar 12
CabbageJan 22Mar 5
CauliflowerFeb 12Mar 26
Sweet cornMar 12Apr 9 (usually sown directly in the garden)
CucumbersMar 26Apr 16
KaleJan 22Mar 5
LeeksDec 25Mar 5
LettuceFeb 19Mar 26
MelonsApr 2Apr 23
OnionsDec 18Feb 26 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time)
PeasFeb 12Mar 12 (usually sown directly in the garden)
PeppersFeb 26Apr 23
SquashApr 2Apr 23
TomatoesFeb 12Apr 9

Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.

Fall frost and season extension

The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 28. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 14. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around November 8.

Nearby cities

CityLast frost (50%)First frost (50%)Distance
Knoxville, TNApr 1Nov 2~138 km
Charlotte, NCMar 30Nov 3~145 km
Columbia, SCMar 25Nov 7~209 km
Chattanooga, TNMar 24Nov 9~245 km
Greensboro, NCMar 30Nov 5~246 km
Atlanta, GAMar 15Nov 20~264 km

More: all North Carolina frost dates