Greenville, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Greenville 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 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 26 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 2 | Nov 3 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 27 | Nov 8 |
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 GREENVILLE, NC (USC00313638), 3.3 mi (5.3 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Greenville
All 3 ZIP codes covering Greenville are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Greenville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 3). 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 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Cucumber | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 16 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Onion | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Eggplant | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 26 – Apr 16 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
- Cary — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Wilmington — zone 8b, last frost Mar 26, first frost Nov 13
- Durham — zone 8a, last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1
- Fayetteville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Nov 4
- Greensboro — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
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
Greenville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Greenville, NC?
Plan around Apr 2. At NOAA's Greenville, NC station, 3.3 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 Mar 27, and after Apr 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 13. The 90% and 10% dates are 33 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Greenville, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 5 – Feb 19 and set transplants outside Apr 9 – Apr 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 215 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 Greenville?
About 227 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 206 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 248 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 26 and a 30% chance by Nov 3. That ranks 7th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Greenville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 3): transplant broccoli Aug 11 – Aug 25; sow kale Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow lettuce Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow radishes Sep 22 – Oct 20. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Greenville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Greenville is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Greenville compare with Raleigh, NC?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Greenville (Apr 2) comes about the same time as in Raleigh, NC (Apr 3), 73 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 3 versus Nov 4. Greenville sits about 282 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.