Home › Tennessee › Frost dates

Tennessee

Tennessee Last Frost Date 2027

The average last spring frost (32°F, 50% chance) in Tennessee falls between Mar 26 in Lauderdale County and Apr 27 in Johnson County. The first fall frost comes between Oct 14 (Johnson County) and Nov 8 (Marion County).

Photo: Savoy cabbage head and outer leaves covered in hoar frost in a vegetable garden. Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When to plant in Tennessee: crop by crop

Planting dates for each crop in Tennessee, from the UT Extension calendar.

Tomatoes

Peppers

Potatoes

Sweet Corn

Green Beans

Cucumbers

Squash

Lettuce

Onions

Peas

Watermelon

Pumpkins

Tennessee frost date questions

When is the last frost in Tennessee?

The average last spring frost (32°F, 50% chance) in Tennessee falls between Mar 26 in Lauderdale County and Apr 27 in Johnson County. The first fall frost comes between Oct 14 (Johnson County) and Nov 8 (Marion County).

What does a 50% last frost date mean?

In half of the years from 1991 to 2020, the last 32°F night came on or after that date. Waiting until the 10% date cuts the risk to about 1 year in 10.

When is it safe to plant tomatoes in Tennessee?

Tender crops such as tomatoes and peppers go out after the last frost. Use the 10% date for your county for a safer margin; the UT Extension planting calendar has the crop dates.

When is the first frost in Tennessee?

The 50% first fall frost ranges from Oct 14 in Johnson County to Nov 8 in Marion County.

How long is the growing season in Tennessee?

Between 170 days (Johnson County) and 228 days (Marion County) between the last and first 32°F freeze in half of years.

What is the difference between frost and a hard freeze?

These dates use 32°F, when tender plants are damaged. A 28°F hard freeze damages most hardy vegetables; the widget shows both.

Where do these frost dates come from?

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals for 1991 to 2020, freeze probability dates for each weather station. Each county uses its nearest station with a complete record.

Why does my county use a station in another county?

Not every county has a NOAA station with a full 30-year record. The station name, distance and elevation are listed so you can judge how close it is to your garden.

Photos: Savoy cabbage head and outer leaves covered in hoar frost in a vegetable garden: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Lone Mountain rising above fields in Morgan County, Tennessee: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Mixed pine and hardwood forest on Brush Mountain in the Citico Creek Wilderness, Tennessee: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Fall color over the French Broad River from Chimney Rocks in Cherokee National Forest near Del Rio, Tennessee: AppalachianCentrist, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Clear Fork river through wooded banks in the Big South Fork area, Tennessee: MateoTimateo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Ripe red tomatoes on the vine: Softeis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Pepper plant in a kitchen garden loaded with green, yellow and red peppers: NPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Potato plants growing in a home garden: Geo Lightspeed7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Rows of sweet corn in a field: Wee Hong, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Clusters of long green bean pods hanging from a climbing bean vine: Nirajan_pant, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Cucumber plants growing in a greenhouse bed: HARTLEPOOLMARINA2014, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Harvested zucchini and summer squash: nociveglia from Appennino Emiliano, Italy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Young lettuce plant in garden soil: GT1976, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Long rows of green onion plants growing in sandy farm soil: ליזי שאנן, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons; Rows of young pea plants in a vegetable patch: Kolforn (Kolforn), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Young watermelon plant in a garden: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, via Wikimedia Commons; Harvested pumpkins and squash in a garden: Lolailand, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.