Franklin, Tennessee: planting zone & frost dates
Franklin is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 10 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 20 | Oct 18 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 25 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 3 | 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 FRANKLIN SEWAGE PLT, TN (USC00403280), 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from the city center and 16 ft lower than the city center (-5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Franklin
All 3 ZIP codes covering Franklin are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Franklin
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 10, 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 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 17 – May 22 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 13 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Cucumber | Mar 13 – Mar 20 | Apr 24 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Onion | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Apr 24 – May 15 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Kale | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Eggplant | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 6 – Apr 24 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 20 – May 1 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
Nearby cities in Tennessee
- Nashville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 7, first frost Oct 25
- Murfreesboro — zone 7b, last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 22
- Clarksville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 27
- Chattanooga — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 3
- Knoxville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 19, first frost Oct 22
- Memphis — zone 8a, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 9
More: all Tennessee cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Franklin gardening questions
When is the last frost in Franklin, TN?
Plan around Apr 10. At NOAA's Franklin Sewage Plt, TN 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 3, and after Apr 20 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 22. 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 Franklin, TN?
Start seeds indoors Feb 13 – Feb 27 and set transplants outside Apr 17 – May 1, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 198 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 Franklin?
About 210 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 190 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 233 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 18 and a 30% chance by Oct 25. That ranks 5th longest of 7 Tennessee cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Franklin?
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 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Franklin's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Franklin was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b 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 Franklin compare with Nashville, TN?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Franklin (Apr 10) comes about the same time as in Nashville, TN (Apr 7), 18 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 25 versus Oct 25. Franklin sits about 244 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.