Birmingham, Alabama: planting zone & frost dates
Birmingham 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 30 and the first fall frost around Nov 6.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 8 | Oct 30 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 30 | Nov 6 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 21 | Nov 11 |
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 BIRMINGHAM AP, AL (USW00013876), 4.0 mi (6.4 km) from the city center and 16 ft higher than the city center (+5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Birmingham
Birmingham spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 30 ZIP codes): 8a (72%), 8b (28%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
ZIP codes in Birmingham and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 35211 | 8b | 10.9% |
| 35206 | 8a | 6.8% |
| 35214 | 8a | 6.6% |
| 35215 | 8a | 6.5% |
| 35207 | 8a | 6.0% |
| 35210 | 8a | 4.9% |
| 35094 | 8a | 4.6% |
| 35242 | 8b | 4.6% |
| 35212 | 8a | 4.2% |
| 35235 | 8a | 3.9% |
| 35224 | 8b | 3.5% |
| 35204 | 8a | 3.4% |
| 35217 | 8a | 2.7% |
| 35222 | 8a | 2.7% |
| 35205 | 8b | 2.5% |
| 35208 | 8a | 2.5% |
| 35130 | 8a | 2.3% |
| 35234 | 8a | 2.3% |
| 35068 | 8a | 2.2% |
| 35022 | 8b | 2.1% |
| 35218 | 8a | 1.8% |
| 35221 | 8a | 1.7% |
| 35209 | 8b | 1.5% |
| 35203 | 8a | 1.4% |
| 35213 | 8b | 1.3% |
| 35243 | 8b | 1.2% |
| 35118 | 8a | 1.1% |
| 35228 | 8a | 1.0% |
| 35233 | 8a | 1.0% |
| 35249 | 8a | 0.0% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Birmingham
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 6). 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 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Mar 2 – Apr 13 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 6 – May 11 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 6 – May 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Cucumber | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 13 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Onion | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Sep 11 – Oct 9 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Eggplant | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | — | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 23 – Apr 13 | Sep 25 – Oct 23 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
Nearby cities in Alabama
- Hoover — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 2
- Tuscaloosa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 25, first frost Nov 5
- Huntsville — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 2
- Montgomery — zone 8b, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 9
- Auburn — zone 8b, last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 10
- Mobile — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 28
More: all Alabama cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Birmingham gardening questions
When is the last frost in Birmingham, AL?
Plan around Mar 30. At NOAA's Birmingham Airport, AL station, 4.0 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 21, and after Apr 8 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 7. 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 Birmingham, AL?
Start seeds indoors Feb 2 – Feb 16 and set transplants outside Apr 6 – Apr 20, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 221 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 Birmingham?
About 236 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 211 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 262 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 30 and a 30% chance by Nov 6. That ranks 5th longest of 7 Alabama cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Birmingham?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 6): transplant broccoli Aug 14 – Aug 28; sow kale Aug 28 – Sep 25; sow lettuce Aug 28 – Sep 25; sow radishes Sep 25 – Oct 23. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Birmingham's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Birmingham 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.
Is all of Birmingham in zone 8a?
No. Zone 8a covers about 72% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (28%), measured across the city's 30 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.