United States
Last reviewed by GardenSproutly against the sources listed on this page.
Growing conditions in North Carolina change a great deal between the coast and the mountains. NC State Extension publishes separate planting calendars for eastern, central, and western North Carolina, and GardenSproutly presents all three side by side so you can see how timing shifts across the state.[1],[2],[3]
USDA hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature. That makes them useful for choosing perennial plants, but a zone does not tell you when spring frosts end or how long your growing season lasts. Our vegetable calendars use regional Extension planting dates and station freeze records instead.[4],[5]
Coastal Plain
The low-lying eastern part of the state, with the earliest spring freeze dates and the longest fall planting season of the three calendars.
Avg. last spring freeze: March 17 (Wilmington) to March 31 (Fayetteville)
Eastern NC planting calendarPiedmont
The middle of the state, roughly the Piedmont, with average last spring freezes around early April at the stations listed and three distinct growing seasons.
Avg. last spring freeze: April 1 (Charlotte) to April 8 (Raleigh)
Central NC planting calendarMountains
The mountain region, where higher elevations bring later spring freezes, earlier fall freezes, and a noticeably shorter planting calendar.
Avg. last spring freeze: April 20 (Asheville) to May 12 (Banner Elk)
Western NC planting calendarRecommended outdoor planting dates for popular crops in each regional calendar[1],[2],[3].
| Crop | Eastern NC | Central NC | Western NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Transplants: Apr 15 – Jul 1; around Aug 1 | Transplants: Apr 15 – Jul 1; around Aug 1 | Transplants: May 1 – Jun 15 |
| Peppers | Transplants: Apr 15 – Jun 1; around Aug 1 | Transplants: Apr 15 – Jun 1; around Aug 1 | Transplants: May 15 – Jun 15 |
| Beans, snap (bush) | Seeds: Mar 15 – Jun 1; Aug 1 – Oct 1 | Seeds: Mar 15 – Sep 15 | Seeds: May 1 – Jul 1 |
| Lettuce, leaf | Seeds: Feb 1 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Oct 1Transplants: Feb 1 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | Seeds: Feb 1 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Feb 1 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | Seeds: Mar 15 – Apr 1; Jul 15 – Aug 15Transplants: Mar 15 – Apr 1; Jul 15 – Aug 15 |
| Carrots | Seeds: Feb 1 – Mar 15; Jun 15 – Sep 1 | Seeds: Feb 1 – Mar 15; Jun 15 – Sep 1 | Seeds: Mar 1 – May 15; Jul 15 – Aug 1 |
| Collard greens | Seeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Feb 15 – Jun 15; Jul 15 – Sep 1 | Seeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Feb 15 – Jun 15; Jul 15 – Sep 1 | Seeds: Apr 1 – Aug 1Transplants: Apr 1 – Aug 1 |
| Garlic | Bulbs: Sep 15 – Nov 15 | Bulbs: Sep 15 – Nov 15 | Bulbs: Sep 1 – Nov 1 |
Average dates of the last 32°F freeze in spring and the first in fall, from NC State Extension Gardening and the State Climate Office of North Carolina[5]. A freeze can still happen after the average date, so use it as a guide rather than a guarantee.
| Station (county) | Elevation | Avg. last spring freeze | Avg. first fall freeze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington International Airport · Eastern NC (New Hanover)Records 1933–2019 | 33 ft | March 17 | November 18 |
| New Bern · Eastern NC (Craven)Records 1948–2019 | 19 ft | March 23 | November 14 |
| Kinston Agricultural Research Station · Eastern NC (Lenoir)Records 1966–2019 | 60 ft | March 28 | November 6 |
| Greenville · Eastern NC (Pitt)Records 1913–2019 | 32 ft | March 30 | November 4 |
| Fayetteville · Eastern NC (Cumberland)Records 1899–2019 | 96 ft | March 31 | November 4 |
| Charlotte Douglas Airport · Central NC (Mecklenburg)Records 1939–2019 | 728 ft | April 1 | November 5 |
| Greensboro Airport · Central NC (Guilford)Records 1948–2019 | 926 ft | April 3 | October 31 |
| Burlington Alamance Airport · Central NC (Alamance)Records 1998–2019 | 617 ft | April 4 | October 29 |
| Raleigh Airport · Central NC (Wake)Records 1944–2019 | 435 ft | April 8 | October 30 |
| Asheville Airport · Western NC (Buncombe)Records 1946–2019 | 2,117 ft | April 20 | October 17 |
| Franklin · Western NC (Macon)Records 1946–2019 | 2,125 ft | April 29 | October 14 |
| Boone 1 SE · Western NC (Watauga)Records 1980–2019 | 3,360 ft | May 1 | October 14 |
| Banner Elk · Western NC (Avery)Records 1907–2019 | 3,770 ft | May 12 | October 3 |
The full table covers stations in nearly every county: Average First and Last Freeze Dates.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, and plant spacing for eastern North Carolina. Scope: Eastern North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, plant spacing, and the 6–8 week transplant-starting rule for central North Carolina. Scope: Central North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, and plant spacing for western North Carolina, plus regional pest-timing advice. Scope: Western North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
Supports: Hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature. Scope: United States.
Supports: Average first fall and last spring freeze dates for North Carolina weather stations. Scope: Individual North Carolina weather stations; station records end in 2019.