Auburn, Alabama: planting zone & frost dates
Auburn 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 21 and the first fall frost around Nov 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 21 | Nov 10 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 13 | Nov 17 |
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 AUBURN NO.2, AL (USC00010425), 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from the city center and 125 ft lower than the city center (-38 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Auburn
Auburn spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 6 ZIP codes): 8b (92%), 8a (8%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Auburn
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 10). 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 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | Feb 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 28 – May 2 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 21 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cucumber | Feb 21 – Feb 28 | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 28 – Apr 4 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Onion | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 7 – Mar 7 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Broccoli | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | — | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Eggplant | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | — | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 14 – Apr 4 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
Nearby cities in Alabama
- Montgomery — zone 8b, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 9
- Hoover — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 2
- Birmingham — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 6
- Tuscaloosa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 25, first frost Nov 5
- Huntsville — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 2
- 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
Auburn gardening questions
When is the last frost in Auburn, AL?
Plan around Mar 21. At NOAA's Auburn No.2, AL station, 1.8 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 13, and after Apr 3 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 28. The 90% and 10% dates are 41 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Auburn, AL?
Start seeds indoors Jan 24 – Feb 7 and set transplants outside Mar 28 – Apr 11, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 234 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 Auburn?
About 246 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 222 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 275 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 1 and a 30% chance by Nov 10. That ranks 3rd longest of 7 Alabama cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Auburn?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 10): transplant broccoli Aug 18 – Sep 1; sow kale Sep 1 – Sep 29; sow lettuce Sep 1 – Sep 29; sow radishes Sep 29 – Oct 27. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Auburn's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Auburn 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 Auburn in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 92% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (8%), measured across the city's 6 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.