Denton, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Denton 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 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 31 | Nov 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 21 | Nov 12 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 13 | Nov 20 |
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 DENTON 2 SE, TX (USC00412404), 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from the city center and 30 ft lower than the city center (-9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Denton
Denton spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 12 ZIP codes): 8b (50%), 8a (50%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Denton
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 12). 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 3 – Oct 1 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 28 – May 2 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 21 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cucumber | Feb 21 – Feb 28 | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 28 – Apr 4 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| 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 17 – Oct 15 |
| Kale | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Eggplant | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 14 – Apr 4 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Flower Mound — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 9
- Lewisville — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 9
- Frisco — zone 8b, last frost Mar 14, first frost Nov 13
- Carrollton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 15
- Irving — zone 8b, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 15
- Plano — zone 8b, last frost Mar 14, first frost Nov 13
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Denton gardening questions
When is the last frost in Denton, TX?
Plan around Mar 21. At NOAA's Denton 2 SE, TX 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 13, and after Mar 31 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 1. The 90% and 10% dates are 35 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Denton, TX?
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 236 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 Denton?
About 251 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 226 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 278 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 3 and a 30% chance by Nov 12. That ranks 41st longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Denton?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 12): transplant broccoli Aug 20 – Sep 3; sow kale Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow lettuce Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow radishes Oct 1 – Oct 29. 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 Denton's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Denton 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 Denton in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 50% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (50%), measured across the city's 12 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.