Frost dates for Memphis, Tennessee
In Memphis, half of springs have had their last frost by March 16 (and 1 spring in 10 still has one after April 4), and half of falls have had their first frost by November 16, leaving about 244 frost-free days in a typical year. Here is how sure those dates are, what they mean for planting, and where they come from.
Frost dates for
Memphis, Tennessee
Last spring frost
March 16
Half of springs have their last frost by this date. For a safer bet, wait until April 4: only 1 spring in 10 has a frost after that.
First fall frost
November 16
Half of falls have their first frost by this date. In 1 fall in 10 it comes by November 2.
Growing season
244 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 221.
Hardiness zone
8a
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 10°F to 15°F. On the 2012 map it was 7b, half a zone colder. All 16 ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center are in zone 8a.
Print a year planner for Memphis
Frost risk through the year
How sure are these dates?
A frost date is a probability, not a promise. NOAA worked out, from 30 years of nightly lows, how often the last spring frost and the first fall frost fall on each date. The middle column is the typical year. The outer columns are the early and late years that come about once a decade.
| Early year 1 in 10 | Typical year 1 in 2 | Late year 1 in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last frost in spring | February 27 | March 16 | April 4 |
| First frost in fall | November 2 | November 16 | December 3 |
The frost-free season between them runs 244 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 it is 266 days or longer, and in 1 year in 10 it is 221 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): typically last on March 4 and first on November 28. It is a harder freeze than the 32°F frost line, cold enough to damage many garden plants; how hardy a crop is decides whether it comes through. (The National Weather Service's own hard-freeze threshold varies from office to office.)
- Frost possible (36°F at the station): typically last on March 29 and first on November 5. On clear, still nights the ground can be several degrees colder than the thermometer, so frost can form on plants when the official reading is in the mid-30s.
In 8 springs out of 10, the last frost in Memphis comes between February 27 and April 4, a window of 36 days. That is wider than at most NOAA stations (the typical window is 31 days), so spring here is less predictable than average: lean toward the later date.
Among Tennessee's 148 NOAA stations with a frost every year, 99 percent have their typical last frost later than Memphis does.
Planting calendar for Memphis
These dates count from the typical last and first frosts, using the planting rules published by Colorado State University Extension (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension (fall crops) and University of Minnesota Extension (garlic, where winters are hard). Weather in any one year can run early or late, so check the forecast before you plant tender crops.
| When | What to do | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| January 12 to February 9 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| January 26 to February 16 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| February | ||
| February 2 to 16 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| February 9 to 23 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| February 16 to March 2 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| February 16 to March 2 | Broccoli and cabbage Plant out, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March | ||
| March 2 to 16 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March 2 to 16 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March 16 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| March 30 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| March 30 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| June | ||
| June 21 to July 5 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by August 9 |
| July | ||
| July 11 to 25 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by August 29 |
| August | ||
| August 20 | Snap beans for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 24 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 25 | Cucumbers for fall Last date to sow | 55 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 29 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 30 | Summer squash for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| September | ||
| September 3 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 13 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 23 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October | ||
| October 3 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November | ||
| November 2 | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers Watch the forecast from | in 1 fall in 10 the first frost comes by this date; pick tender crops before a frost |
| December | ||
| December 5 to 12 | Garlic Plant cloves | one or two weeks after the typical first hard freeze (28°F), our reading of the first killing frost |
| December 29 to January 26 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
Want more insurance? Shift every spring date 19 days later. That plans around April 4, the date after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost.
For spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, plant once the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F and keep going until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes. Our guide to fall planting explains how to tell.
Where these numbers come from
These dates come from NOAA's weather station Memphis International Airport (station USW00013893), 4 miles from the center of Memphis. It sits at about the same elevation, 250 feet above sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as standard: at least 24 of the 30 years, with gaps filled from nearby stations.
The same station also gives the frost dates for Millington.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 17 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 38104, 38105, 38106, 38107, 38108, 38111, 38112, 38114, 38116, 38118, 38126, 38131, 38132, 38152, 38637, 38671, 38680. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
The nearest other places with pages
- Little Rock, Arkansas: last frost around March 21, first frost around November 10 (140 miles away)
See frost dates across Tennessee, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.