Cary, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Cary 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 Apr 3 and the first fall frost around Nov 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 26 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 27 | 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 APEX, NC (USC00310212), 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from the city center and 69 ft higher than the city center (+21 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Cary
All 8 ZIP codes covering Cary are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Cary
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3). 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 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Cucumber | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Onion | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Eggplant | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
- Durham — zone 8a, last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1
- Fayetteville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Nov 4
- Greensboro — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- High Point — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- Greenville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 3
More: all North Carolina cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Cary gardening questions
When is the last frost in Cary, NC?
Plan around Apr 3. At NOAA's Apex, NC station, 2.8 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 27, and after Apr 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 15. The 90% and 10% dates are 33 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Cary, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside Apr 10 – Apr 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 214 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 Cary?
About 227 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 206 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 251 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 26 and a 30% chance by Nov 3. That ranks 6th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Cary?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 3): transplant broccoli Aug 11 – Aug 25; sow kale Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow lettuce Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow radishes Sep 22 – Oct 20. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 21. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Cary's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Cary was zone 7b on the 2012 map and is zone 8a 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 Cary compare with Raleigh, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Cary (Apr 3) comes about the same time as in Raleigh, NC (Apr 3), 11 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 3 versus Nov 4. The two cities use different NOAA stations.