Clarksville, Tennessee: planting zone & frost dates
Clarksville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 10 and the first fall frost around Oct 27.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 20 | Oct 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 10 | Oct 27 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
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 CLARKSVILLE WWTP, TN (USC00401790), 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from the city center and 72 ft lower than the city center (-22 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Clarksville
Clarksville spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 7b (94%), 7a (6%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Clarksville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 27). 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 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 17 – May 22 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 13 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Cucumber | Mar 13 – Mar 20 | Apr 24 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Onion | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Apr 24 – May 15 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Kale | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Eggplant | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 6 – Apr 24 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 20 – May 1 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
Nearby cities in Tennessee
- Nashville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 7, first frost Oct 25
- Franklin — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 25
- Murfreesboro — zone 7b, last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 22
- Chattanooga — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 3
- Memphis — zone 8a, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 9
- Knoxville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 19, first frost Oct 22
More: all Tennessee cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Clarksville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Clarksville, TN?
Plan around Apr 10. At NOAA's Clarksville Wwtp, TN station, 1.4 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 Apr 3, and after Apr 20 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 22. The 90% and 10% dates are 32 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Clarksville, TN?
Start seeds indoors Feb 13 – Feb 27 and set transplants outside Apr 17 – May 1, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 200 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 Clarksville?
About 212 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 192 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 233 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 20 and a 30% chance by Oct 27. That ranks 4th longest of 7 Tennessee cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Clarksville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 27): transplant broccoli Aug 4 – Aug 18; sow kale Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow lettuce Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow radishes Sep 15 – Oct 13. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 11. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Clarksville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Clarksville was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b 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 Clarksville in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 94% of the city's land; the rest is in 7a (6%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.