Little Rock, Arkansas: planting zone & frost dates
Little Rock 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 Mar 28 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 6 | Oct 29 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 28 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 21 | Nov 10 |
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 LITTLE ROCK AP ADAMS FLD, AR (USW00013963), 6.8 mi (10.9 km) from the city center and 20 ft lower than the city center (-6 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Little Rock
All 14 ZIP codes covering Little Rock are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Little Rock
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 28, first frost Nov 4). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Feb 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 4 – May 9 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 4 – May 2 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Apr 11 – Apr 18 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 7 – Apr 11 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Apr 11 – May 2 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 21 – Apr 11 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 7 – Apr 18 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Arkansas
- Jonesboro — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 3
- Fort Smith — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 1
- Fayetteville — zone 7a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 25
- Springdale — zone 7a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 25
More: all Arkansas cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Little Rock gardening questions
When is the last frost in Little Rock, AR?
Plan around Mar 28. At NOAA's Little Rock Airport Adams Field, AR station, 6.8 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 21, and after Apr 6 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 8. 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 Little Rock, AR?
Start seeds indoors Jan 31 – Feb 14 and set transplants outside Apr 4 – Apr 18, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 221 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 Little Rock?
About 234 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 257 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 29 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That is the longest of the 5 Arkansas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Little Rock?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 21. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Little Rock's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Little Rock 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 Little Rock compare with Jonesboro, AR?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Little Rock (Mar 28) comes about the same time as in Jonesboro, AR (Mar 31), 121 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Nov 3. The two cities use different NOAA stations.