Columbus, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Columbus 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 14 and the first fall frost around Nov 16.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 24 | Nov 7 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 14 | Nov 16 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 5 | Nov 23 |
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 COLUMBUS METRO AP, GA (USW00093842), 3.9 mi (6.3 km) from the city center and 98 ft higher than the city center (+30 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Columbus
All 10 ZIP codes covering Columbus are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Columbus
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 14, first frost Nov 16). 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 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Feb 14 – Mar 28 | Sep 7 – Oct 5 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 21 – Apr 25 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 14 – Feb 21 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Cucumber | Feb 14 – Feb 21 | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 21 – Mar 28 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Onion | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | Sep 21 – Oct 19 |
| Kale | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Sep 7 – Oct 5 |
| Broccoli | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | — | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 7 – Sep 21 |
| Eggplant | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | — | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 7 – Mar 28 | Oct 5 – Nov 2 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 7 – Sep 21 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- South Fulton — zone 8a, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 13
- Macon — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 4
- Warner Robins — zone 8b, last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 12
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
- Mableton — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Sandy Springs — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 2
More: all Georgia cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Columbus gardening questions
When is the last frost in Columbus, GA?
Plan around Mar 14. At NOAA's Columbus Metro Airport, GA station, 3.9 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 5, and after Mar 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 21. 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 Columbus, GA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 17 – Jan 31 and set transplants outside Mar 21 – Apr 4, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 247 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 Columbus?
About 265 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 238 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 295 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 7 and a 30% chance by Nov 16. That ranks 3rd longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Columbus?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 16): transplant broccoli Aug 24 – Sep 7; sow kale Sep 7 – Oct 5; sow lettuce Sep 7 – Oct 5; sow radishes Oct 5 – Nov 2. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 12. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Columbus's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Columbus 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.
How does Columbus compare with Auburn, AL?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Columbus (Mar 14) comes about 7 days earlier than in Auburn, AL (Mar 21), 37 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 16 versus Nov 10. Columbus sits about 379 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.