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Knoxville, Tennessee frost dates

Average last spring frost: April 1. Average first fall frost: November 2. That gives a growing season of about 215 days. For frost-tender plants, a safer planting date is April 17, after which a freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.
Last frost (50%)
Apr 1
1-in-10 risk after Apr 17
First frost (50%)
Nov 2
1-in-10 risk before Oct 21
Growing season
215 days
median frost-free days
Hard freeze (28°F)
Mar 19
median last 28°F in spring

Frost risk by date

Chance of frostSpring: frost afterFall: frost before
90%March 14November 15
70%March 24November 7
50%April 1November 2
30%April 7October 28
10%April 17October 21

Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 17. These are NOAA probabilities for the Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport weather station (USW00013891, elevation 293 m), 1991–2020.

Knoxville vegetable planting calendar

Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 1). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 17) is the cautious choice.

CropStart seeds indoorsPlant out
BeansMar 11Apr 8 (usually sown directly in the garden)
BroccoliJan 21Mar 4
Brussels sproutsJan 21Mar 4
CabbageJan 14Feb 25
CauliflowerFeb 4Mar 18
Sweet cornMar 4Apr 1 (usually sown directly in the garden)
CucumbersMar 18Apr 8
KaleJan 14Feb 25
LeeksDec 17Feb 25
LettuceFeb 11Mar 18
MelonsMar 25Apr 15
OnionsDec 10Feb 18 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time)
PeasFeb 4Mar 4 (usually sown directly in the garden)
PeppersFeb 18Apr 15
SquashMar 25Apr 15
TomatoesFeb 4Apr 1

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 2. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 21. 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 13.

Nearby cities

CityLast frost (50%)First frost (50%)Distance
Asheville, NCApr 9Oct 28~137 km
Chattanooga, TNMar 24Nov 9~140 km
Nashville, TNMar 31Nov 3~246 km
Atlanta, GAMar 15Nov 20~246 km
Lexington, KYApr 13Oct 28~253 km
Charlotte, NCMar 30Nov 3~281 km

More: all Tennessee frost dates