Mableton, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Mableton 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 3 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 12 | Oct 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 27 | Nov 7 |
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 MABLETON 1 N, GA (USC00095404), 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from the city center and 85 ft lower than the city center (-26 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 13 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Mableton
All 4 ZIP codes covering Mableton are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Mableton
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 3, 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 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Cucumber | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Onion | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Eggplant | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
- South Fulton — zone 8a, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 13
- Sandy Springs — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Roswell — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Johns Creek — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Athens — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 4
More: all Georgia cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Mableton gardening questions
When is the last frost in Mableton, GA?
Plan around Apr 3. At NOAA's Mableton 1 N, GA station, 2.8 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 27, and after Apr 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 14. 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 Mableton, GA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside Apr 10 – Apr 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 214 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 Mableton?
About 225 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 205 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 249 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 27 and a 30% chance by Nov 3. That is the shortest of the 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Mableton?
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 19. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Mableton's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Mableton 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 Mableton compare with Atlanta, GA?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Mableton (Apr 3) comes about the same time as in Atlanta, GA (Mar 31), 10 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 3 versus Nov 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.