Hoover, Alabama: planting zone & frost dates
Hoover is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 29 and the first fall frost around Nov 2.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 9 | Oct 26 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 29 | Nov 2 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 19 | 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 HELENA, AL (USC00013781), 7.2 mi (11.6 km) from the city center and about the same elevation as the city center (-0 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 17 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Hoover
Hoover spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 6 ZIP codes): 8b (57%), 8a (43%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Hoover
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 2). 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 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Aug 24 – Sep 21 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 5 – May 10 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 5 – May 3 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Cucumber | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Onion | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sep 7 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Aug 24 – Sep 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Eggplant | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 22 – Apr 12 | Sep 21 – Oct 19 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
Nearby cities in Alabama
- Birmingham — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 6
- Tuscaloosa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 25, first frost Nov 5
- Montgomery — zone 8b, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 9
- Huntsville — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 2
- Auburn — zone 8b, last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 10
- Mobile — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 28
More: all Alabama cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Hoover gardening questions
When is the last frost in Hoover, AL?
Plan around Mar 29. At NOAA's Helena, AL station, 7.2 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 19, and after Apr 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 4. The 90% and 10% dates are 42 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Hoover, AL?
Start seeds indoors Feb 1 – Feb 15 and set transplants outside Apr 5 – Apr 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 218 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 Hoover?
About 236 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 210 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 261 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 26 and a 30% chance by Nov 2. That ranks 6th longest of 7 Alabama cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Hoover?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 2): transplant broccoli Aug 10 – Aug 24; sow kale Aug 24 – Sep 21; sow lettuce Aug 24 – Sep 21; sow radishes Sep 21 – Oct 19. 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 Hoover's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Hoover was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b 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.
Is all of Hoover in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 57% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (43%), measured across the city's 6 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.