Atlanta, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Atlanta is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 31 and the first fall frost around Nov 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 31 | Nov 1 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 24 | Nov 8 |
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 ATLANTA FULTON CO AP, GA (USW00003888), 5.8 mi (9.3 km) from the city center and 115 ft lower than the city center (-35 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Atlanta
All 23 ZIP codes covering Atlanta are in zone 8a.
ZIP codes in Atlanta and their zones
Vegetable planting calendar for Atlanta
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 7 – May 12 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 7 – May 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 14 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Onion | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Apr 14 – May 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 17 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Eggplant | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 24 – Apr 14 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Mableton — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Sandy Springs — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- South Fulton — zone 8a, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 13
- Roswell — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Johns Creek — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Athens — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 4
More: all Georgia cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA, Huntsville, AL
Atlanta gardening questions
When is the last frost in Atlanta, GA?
Plan around Mar 31. At NOAA's Atlanta Fulton County Airport, GA station, 5.8 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 24, and after Apr 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 9. The 90% and 10% dates are 39 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Atlanta, GA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 3 – Feb 17 and set transplants outside Apr 7 – Apr 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 215 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 Atlanta?
About 231 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 207 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 258 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 27 and a 30% chance by Nov 1. That ranks 8th longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Atlanta?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 1): transplant broccoli Aug 9 – Aug 23; sow kale Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow lettuce Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow radishes Sep 20 – Oct 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 20. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Atlanta's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Atlanta is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Atlanta compare with Mableton, GA?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Atlanta (Mar 31) comes about the same time as in Mableton, GA (Apr 3), 10 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 1 versus Nov 3. The two cities use different NOAA stations.