Fayetteville, Arkansas: planting zone & frost dates
Fayetteville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 11 and the first fall frost around Oct 25.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 22 | Oct 17 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 11 | Oct 25 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 4 | Oct 31 |
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 FAYETTEVILLE EXP STN, AR (USC00032444), 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from the city center and 105 ft lower than the city center (-32 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 20 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Fayetteville
All 5 ZIP codes covering Fayetteville are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Fayetteville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 25). 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 14 – Feb 28 | Apr 18 – May 2 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Mar 14 – Apr 25 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 18 – May 23 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 18 – May 16 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | Apr 18 – May 9 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Cucumber | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 25 – May 2 | Apr 18 – May 9 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 21 – Apr 25 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Onion | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Apr 25 – May 16 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Kale | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Eggplant | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 7 – Apr 25 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 21 – May 2 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
Nearby cities in Arkansas
- Springdale — zone 7a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 25
- Fort Smith — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 1
- Little Rock — zone 8a, last frost Mar 28, first frost Nov 4
- Jonesboro — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 3
More: all Arkansas cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Fayetteville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Fayetteville, AR?
Plan around Apr 11. At NOAA's Fayetteville Exp Stn, AR station, 2.1 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 Apr 4, and after Apr 22 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 24. The 90% and 10% dates are 35 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Fayetteville, AR?
Start seeds indoors Feb 14 – Feb 28 and set transplants outside Apr 18 – May 2, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 197 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 Fayetteville?
About 209 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 188 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 233 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 17 and a 30% chance by Oct 25. That ranks 4th longest of 5 Arkansas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Fayetteville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 25): transplant broccoli Aug 2 – Aug 16; sow kale Aug 16 – Sep 13; sow lettuce Aug 16 – Sep 13; sow radishes Sep 13 – Oct 11. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 9. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Fayetteville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Fayetteville was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a 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 Fayetteville compare with Fort Smith, AR?
Fayetteville is zone 7a and Fort Smith is zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Fayetteville (Apr 11) comes about 8 days later than in Fort Smith, AR (Apr 3), 51 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 25 versus Nov 1. Fayetteville sits about 914 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.