Durham, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Durham 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 9 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 18 | Oct 24 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 2 | Nov 4 |
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 DURHAM, NC (USC00312515), 5.7 mi (9.2 km) from the city center and 52 ft higher than the city center (+16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 16 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Durham
All 10 ZIP codes covering Durham are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Durham
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 9, 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 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 16 – May 21 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 16 – May 14 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Onion | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 26 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Eggplant | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 23 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Cary — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
- 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
- Winston-Salem — 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, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA, Huntsville, AL
Durham gardening questions
When is the last frost in Durham, NC?
Plan around Apr 9. At NOAA's Durham, NC station, 5.7 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 2, and after Apr 18 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 19. The 90% and 10% dates are 34 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Durham, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 12 – Feb 26 and set transplants outside Apr 16 – Apr 30, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 206 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 Durham?
About 217 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 197 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 239 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 24 and a 30% chance by Nov 1. That ranks 11th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Durham?
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 16. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Durham's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Durham 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 Durham compare with Cary, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Durham (Apr 9) comes about 6 days later than in Cary, NC (Apr 3), 14 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 1 versus Nov 3. The two cities use different NOAA stations.