Savannah, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Savannah is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 12 and the first fall frost around Nov 21.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 25 | Nov 11 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 12 | Nov 21 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 2 | Nov 30 |
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 SAVANNAH INTL AP, GA (USW00003822), 7.8 mi (12.5 km) from the city center and 39 ft higher than the city center (+12 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Savannah
All 11 ZIP codes covering Savannah are in zone 9a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Savannah
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 12, first frost Nov 21). 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 15 – Jan 29 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Feb 12 – Mar 26 | Sep 12 – Oct 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Cucumber | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Onion | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 29 – Feb 26 | Sep 26 – Oct 24 |
| Kale | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 12 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | — | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| Eggplant | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 26 | Oct 10 – Nov 7 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Augusta — zone 8b, last frost Mar 6, first frost Nov 26
- Warner Robins — zone 8b, last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 12
- Macon — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 4
- Athens — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 4
- Johns Creek — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
More: all Georgia cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL
Savannah gardening questions
When is the last frost in Savannah, GA?
Plan around Mar 12. At NOAA's Savannah Int'l Airport, GA station, 7.8 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 2, and after Mar 25 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 13. Springs here are erratic: 49 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Savannah, GA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 15 – Jan 29 and set transplants outside Mar 19 – Apr 2, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 254 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 Savannah?
About 270 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 243 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 304 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 11 and a 30% chance by Nov 21. That ranks 2nd longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Savannah?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 21): transplant broccoli Aug 29 – Sep 12; sow kale Sep 12 – Oct 10; sow lettuce Sep 12 – Oct 10; sow radishes Oct 10 – Nov 7. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Savannah's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Savannah was zone 8b on the 2012 map and is zone 9a 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 Savannah compare with North Charleston, SC?
Both are in zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in Savannah (Mar 12) comes about the same time as in North Charleston, SC (Mar 15), 91 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 21 versus Nov 19. The two cities use different NOAA stations.