Lafayette, Louisiana: planting zone & frost dates
Lafayette is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 7 and the first fall frost around Nov 19.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 20 | Nov 7 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 7 | Nov 19 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 26 | Nov 28 |
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 LAFAYETTE, LA (USC00165021), 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from the city center and about the same elevation as the city center (+0 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 21 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lafayette
All 7 ZIP codes covering Lafayette are in zone 9a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lafayette
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 7, first frost Nov 19). 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 10 – Jan 24 | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Feb 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 7 – Feb 14 | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Cucumber | Feb 7 – Feb 14 | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 14 – Mar 21 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Onion | Dec 13 – Dec 27 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 21 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Kale | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Broccoli | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | — | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Eggplant | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 10 – Jan 24 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | — | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Radish | — | — | Jan 31 – Mar 21 | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 14 – Mar 28 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
Nearby cities in Louisiana
- Baton Rouge — zone 9a, last frost Mar 10, first frost Nov 15
- Lake Charles — zone 9a, last frost Feb 26, first frost Nov 28
- New Orleans — zone 9b, last frost Feb 1, first frost Dec 29
- Shreveport — zone 8b, last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 11
More: all Louisiana cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL
Lafayette gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lafayette, LA?
Plan around Mar 7. At NOAA's Lafayette, LA 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 Feb 26, and after Mar 20 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 5. Springs here are erratic: 50 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Lafayette, LA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 10 – Jan 24 and set transplants outside Mar 14 – Mar 28, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 257 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 Lafayette?
About 279 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 247 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 312 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 7 and a 30% chance by Nov 19. That ranks 3rd longest of 5 Louisiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lafayette?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 19): transplant broccoli Aug 27 – Sep 10; sow kale Sep 10 – Oct 8; sow lettuce Sep 10 – Oct 8; sow radishes Oct 8 – Nov 5. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 14. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lafayette's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Lafayette is zone 9a 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.
How does Lafayette compare with Baton Rouge, LA?
Both are in zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in Lafayette (Mar 7) comes about the same time as in Baton Rouge, LA (Mar 10), 56 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 19 versus Nov 15. The two cities use different NOAA stations.