Fayetteville, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Fayetteville 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 Apr 5 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 16 | Oct 28 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 5 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 30 | 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 FAYETTEVILLE (PWC), NC (USC00313017), 6.7 mi (10.8 km) from the city center and 125 ft lower than the city center (-38 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Fayetteville
Fayetteville spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 11 ZIP codes): 8a (68%), 8b (32%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Fayetteville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 5, 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 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 12 – May 17 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Apr 19 – May 10 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 19 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Cary — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
- Durham — zone 8a, last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1
- Greensboro — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- High Point — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
- Wilmington — zone 8b, last frost Mar 26, first frost Nov 13
More: all North Carolina cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Fayetteville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Fayetteville, NC?
Plan around Apr 5. At NOAA's Fayetteville (pwc), NC station, 6.7 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 30, and after Apr 16 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 16. The 90% and 10% dates are 38 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Fayetteville, NC?
Start seeds indoors Feb 8 – Feb 22 and set transplants outside Apr 12 – Apr 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 213 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 Fayetteville?
About 227 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 204 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 253 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 28 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That ranks 5th longest of 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Fayetteville?
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 23. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Fayetteville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville in zone 8a?
No. Zone 8a covers about 68% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (32%), measured across the city's 11 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.