Sandy Springs, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Sandy Springs 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 1 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 12 | Oct 26 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 1 | Nov 2 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 25 | Nov 9 |
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 ATLANTA PEACHTREE AP, GA (USW00053863), 5.5 mi (8.8 km) from the city center and 49 ft lower than the city center (-15 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 20 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Sandy Springs
All 5 ZIP codes covering Sandy Springs are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Sandy Springs
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 1, 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 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 21 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 8 – May 13 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Cucumber | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Onion | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Sep 7 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 24 – Sep 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Eggplant | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 25 – Apr 15 | Sep 21 – Oct 19 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Roswell — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
- Johns Creek — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Mableton — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- South Fulton — zone 8a, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 13
- 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
Sandy Springs gardening questions
When is the last frost in Sandy Springs, GA?
Plan around Apr 1. At NOAA's Atlanta Peachtree Airport, GA station, 5.5 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 25, and after Apr 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 12. The 90% and 10% dates are 38 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Sandy Springs, GA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 4 – Feb 18 and set transplants outside Apr 8 – Apr 22, 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 Sandy Springs?
About 228 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 253 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 26 and a 30% chance by Nov 2. That ranks 9th longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Sandy Springs?
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 Sandy Springs's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Sandy Springs 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 Sandy Springs compare with Atlanta, GA?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Sandy Springs (Apr 1) comes about the same time as in Atlanta, GA (Mar 31), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 2 versus Nov 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.