Athens, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Athens 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 Mar 31 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 28 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 31 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 23 | 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 ATHENS BEN EPPS AP, GA (USW00013873), 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from the city center and 141 ft higher than the city center (+43 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Athens
Athens spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 8 ZIP codes): 8a (70%), 8b (30%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Athens
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 4). 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 3 – Feb 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 7 – May 12 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 7 – May 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 14 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Apr 14 – May 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 17 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 24 – Apr 14 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Johns Creek — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Roswell — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Sandy Springs — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
- Macon — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 4
- Mableton — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
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
Athens gardening questions
When is the last frost in Athens, GA?
Plan around Mar 31. At NOAA's Athens Ben Epps Airport, GA station, 2.4 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 23, and after Apr 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 9. The 90% and 10% dates are 39 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Athens, GA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 3 – Feb 17 and set transplants outside Apr 7 – Apr 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 218 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 Athens?
About 232 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 208 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 260 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 28 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That ranks 7th longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Athens?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. 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 Athens's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Athens is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Athens in zone 8a?
No. Zone 8a covers about 70% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (30%), measured across the city's 8 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.