Arlington, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Arlington is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 16 and the first fall frost around Nov 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 28 | Nov 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 16 | Nov 12 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 9 | Nov 21 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station ARLINGTON MUNI AP, TX (USW00053907), 3.1 mi (5.0 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 18 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Arlington
All 13 ZIP codes covering Arlington are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Arlington
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 12). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Feb 16 – Mar 30 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 27 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 16 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cucumber | Feb 16 – Feb 23 | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 23 – Mar 30 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Onion | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Kale | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Eggplant | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 30 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Grand Prairie — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 5
- Mansfield — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 12
- Irving — zone 8b, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 15
- Fort Worth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 12, first frost Nov 14
- Flower Mound — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 9
- Carrollton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 15
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX, Frisco, TX
Arlington gardening questions
When is the last frost in Arlington, TX?
Plan around Mar 16. At NOAA's Arlington Municipal Airport, TX station, 3.1 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Mar 9, and after Mar 28 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 25. The 90% and 10% dates are 38 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Arlington, TX?
Start seeds indoors Jan 19 – Feb 2 and set transplants outside Mar 23 – Apr 6, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 241 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Arlington?
About 256 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 229 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 282 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 3 and a 30% chance by Nov 12. That ranks 34th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Arlington?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 12): transplant broccoli Aug 20 – Sep 3; sow kale Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow lettuce Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow radishes Oct 1 – Oct 29. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 4. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Arlington's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Arlington was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Arlington compare with Grand Prairie, TX?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Arlington (Mar 16) comes about 13 days earlier than in Grand Prairie, TX (Mar 29), 6 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 12 versus Nov 5. The two cities use different NOAA stations.