Lawton, Oklahoma: planting zone & frost dates
Lawton 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 3 and the first fall frost around Nov 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 14 | Oct 21 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 26 | Nov 7 |
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 LAWTON, OK (USC00345063), 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from the city center and 10 ft higher than the city center (+3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lawton
Lawton spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 7b (72%), 8a (28%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lawton
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 1). 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 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Onion | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Eggplant | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
Nearby cities in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 29
- Norman — zone 7b, last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 29
- Edmond — zone 7b, last frost Apr 18, first frost Oct 23
- Tulsa — zone 7b, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 30
- Broken Arrow — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Oct 26
More: all Oklahoma cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Lawton gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lawton, OK?
Plan around Apr 3. At NOAA's Lawton, OK station, 2.1 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 26, and after Apr 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 11. 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 Lawton, OK?
Start seeds indoors Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside Apr 10 – Apr 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 212 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 Lawton?
About 225 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 200 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 253 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 21 and a 30% chance by Nov 1. That is the longest of the 6 Oklahoma cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lawton?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 1): transplant broccoli Aug 9 – Aug 23; sow kale Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow lettuce Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow radishes Sep 20 – Oct 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 16. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lawton's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Lawton is zone 7b 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 Lawton in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 72% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (28%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.