Greensboro, North Carolina frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | March 12 | November 21 |
| 70% | March 24 | November 11 |
| 50% | March 30 | November 5 |
| 30% | April 5 | November 1 |
| 10% | April 14 | October 25 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 14. These are NOAA probabilities for the Piedmont Triad International Airport weather station (USW00013723, elevation 271 m), 1991–2020.
Greensboro vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (March 30). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 14) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 9 | Apr 6 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 | Mar 2 |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 19 | Mar 2 |
| Cabbage | Jan 12 | Feb 23 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 2 | Mar 16 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 2 | Mar 30 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Mar 16 | Apr 6 |
| Kale | Jan 12 | Feb 23 |
| Leeks | Dec 15 | Feb 23 |
| Lettuce | Feb 9 | Mar 16 |
| Melons | Mar 23 | Apr 13 |
| Onions | Dec 8 | Feb 16 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 2 | Mar 2 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Feb 16 | Apr 13 |
| Squash | Mar 23 | Apr 13 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 2 | Mar 30 |
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 November 5. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 25. 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 17.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | ~107 km |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Nov 3 | ~133 km |
| Roanoke, VA | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | ~135 km |
| Asheville, NC | Apr 9 | Oct 28 | ~244 km |
| Columbia, SC | Mar 25 | Nov 7 | ~261 km |
| Wilmington, NC | Mar 19 | Nov 20 | ~274 km |