Greensboro, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Greensboro 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 31.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 14 | Oct 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 5 | Oct 31 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 1 | 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 GREENSBORO WTP, NC (USC00313625), 1.4 mi (2.2 km) from the city center and 59 ft lower than the city center (-18 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Greensboro
All 13 ZIP codes covering Greensboro are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Greensboro
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31). 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 22 – Sep 19 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 12 – May 17 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Cucumber | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| 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 5 – Oct 3 |
| Kale | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Aug 22 – Sep 19 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | — | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Eggplant | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 19 | Sep 19 – Oct 17 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- High Point — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- Winston-Salem — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 3
- Durham — zone 8a, last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1
- Cary — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Concord — zone 8a, last frost Apr 6, first frost Oct 28
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
More: all North Carolina cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA, Huntsville, AL
Greensboro gardening questions
When is the last frost in Greensboro, NC?
Plan around Apr 5. At NOAA's Greensboro Wtp, NC station, 1.4 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 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 22. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 27 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Greensboro, 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 209 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 Greensboro?
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 23 and a 30% chance by Oct 31. That ranks 10th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Greensboro?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 31): transplant broccoli Aug 8 – Aug 22; sow kale Aug 22 – Sep 19; sow lettuce Aug 22 – Sep 19; sow radishes Sep 19 – Oct 17. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 15. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Greensboro's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Greensboro 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 Greensboro compare with High Point, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Greensboro (Apr 5) comes about the same time as in High Point, NC (Apr 5), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 31 versus Oct 31. The two cities use different NOAA stations.