Tuscaloosa, Alabama: planting zone & frost dates
Tuscaloosa 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 25 and the first fall frost around Nov 5.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 4 | Oct 29 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 25 | Nov 5 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 18 | 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 NORTHPORT 2 S, AL (USW00073801), 4.0 mi (6.4 km) from the city center and 112 ft lower than the city center (-34 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 10 ZIP codes): 8b (70%), 8a (30%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Tuscaloosa
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 25, first frost Nov 5). 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 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Feb 25 – Apr 8 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 1 – May 6 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Cucumber | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Onion | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Kale | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | — | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Eggplant | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | — | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 18 – Apr 8 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
Nearby cities in Alabama
- Hoover — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 2
- Birmingham — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 6
- 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
Tuscaloosa gardening questions
When is the last frost in Tuscaloosa, AL?
Plan around Mar 25. At NOAA's Northport 2 S, AL station, 4.0 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 18, and after Apr 4 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 3. The 90% and 10% dates are 37 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Tuscaloosa, AL?
Start seeds indoors Jan 28 – Feb 11 and set transplants outside Apr 1 – Apr 15, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 225 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 Tuscaloosa?
About 239 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 215 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 266 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 29 and a 30% chance by Nov 5. That ranks 4th longest of 7 Alabama cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Tuscaloosa?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 5): transplant broccoli Aug 13 – Aug 27; sow kale Aug 27 – Sep 24; sow lettuce Aug 27 – Sep 24; sow radishes Sep 24 – Oct 22. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 25. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Tuscaloosa's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 70% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (30%), measured across the city's 10 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.