Concord, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Concord 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 6 and the first fall frost around Oct 28.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 16 | Oct 21 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 6 | Oct 28 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 1 | Nov 2 |
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 CONCORD, NC (USC00311975), 3.2 mi (5.2 km) from the city center and 62 ft higher than the city center (+19 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Concord
All 3 ZIP codes covering Concord are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Concord
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 6, first frost Oct 28). 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 9 – Feb 23 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 13 – May 18 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 13 – May 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Cucumber | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 20 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Onion | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Kale | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Eggplant | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 2 – Apr 20 | Sep 16 – Oct 14 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Charlotte — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 30
- 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
- Fayetteville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Nov 4
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
Concord gardening questions
When is the last frost in Concord, NC?
Plan around Apr 6. At NOAA's Concord, NC station, 3.2 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 Apr 1, and after Apr 16 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 20. The 90% and 10% dates are 31 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Concord, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 9 – Feb 23 and set transplants outside Apr 13 – Apr 27, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 205 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 Concord?
About 215 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 195 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 235 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 21 and a 30% chance by Oct 28. That ranks 12th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Concord?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 28): transplant broccoli Aug 5 – Aug 19; sow kale Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow lettuce Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow radishes Sep 16 – Oct 14. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 13. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Concord's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Concord 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 Concord compare with Charlotte, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Concord (Apr 6) comes about the same time as in Charlotte, NC (Apr 5), 17 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 28 versus Oct 30. The two cities use different NOAA stations.