Charlotte, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Charlotte 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 5 and the first fall frost around Oct 30.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 14 | Oct 22 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 5 | Oct 30 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 30 | Nov 3 |
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 CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS AP, NC (USW00013881), 7.1 mi (11.4 km) from the city center and 52 ft higher than the city center (+16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Charlotte
All 30 ZIP codes covering Charlotte are in zone 8a.
ZIP codes in Charlotte and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 28269 | 8a | 9.1% |
| 28277 | 8a | 7.3% |
| 28273 | 8a | 7.0% |
| 28215 | 8a | 6.8% |
| 28208 | 8a | 6.6% |
| 28216 | 8a | 6.3% |
| 28214 | 8a | 6.2% |
| 28262 | 8a | 5.4% |
| 28226 | 8a | 4.7% |
| 28217 | 8a | 4.6% |
| 28213 | 8a | 4.0% |
| 28270 | 8a | 4.0% |
| 28210 | 8a | 3.9% |
| 28205 | 8a | 3.8% |
| 28211 | 8a | 3.6% |
| 28212 | 8a | 3.0% |
| 28278 | 8a | 2.6% |
| 28206 | 8a | 2.3% |
| 28227 | 8a | 2.3% |
| 28209 | 8a | 1.8% |
| 28105 | 8a | 1.2% |
| 28203 | 8a | 1.0% |
| 28207 | 8a | 0.8% |
| 28202 | 8a | 0.6% |
| 28204 | 8a | 0.6% |
| 28223 | 8a | 0.2% |
| 28244 | 8a | 0.0% |
| 28274 | 8a | 0.0% |
| 28280 | 8a | 0.0% |
| 28282 | 8a | 0.0% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Charlotte
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 30). 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 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 12 – May 17 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Cucumber | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Onion | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Apr 19 – May 10 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Kale | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | — | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Eggplant | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 19 | Sep 18 – Oct 16 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Concord — zone 8a, last frost Apr 6, first frost Oct 28
- Gastonia — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 3
- Winston-Salem — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 3
- High Point — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- Greensboro — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- Asheville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 26
More: all North Carolina cities · other zone 8a cities: Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA, Huntsville, AL
Charlotte gardening questions
When is the last frost in Charlotte, NC?
Plan around Apr 5. At NOAA's Charlotte Douglas Airport, NC station, 7.1 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 30, and after Apr 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 17. 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 Charlotte, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 8 – Feb 22 and set transplants outside Apr 12 – Apr 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 208 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 Charlotte?
About 221 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 201 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 244 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 22 and a 30% chance by Oct 30. That ranks 8th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Charlotte?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 30): transplant broccoli Aug 7 – Aug 21; sow kale Aug 21 – Sep 18; sow lettuce Aug 21 – Sep 18; sow radishes Sep 18 – Oct 16. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 14. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Charlotte's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Charlotte 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 Charlotte compare with Concord, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Charlotte (Apr 5) comes about the same time as in Concord, NC (Apr 6), 17 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 30 versus Oct 28. The two cities use different NOAA stations.