Macon, Georgia: planting zone & frost dates
Macon 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 29 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 7 | Oct 29 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 29 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 21 | 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 MACON MIDDLE GA RGNL AP, GA (USW00003813), 8.9 mi (14.3 km) from the city center and 30 ft lower than the city center (-9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Macon
All 11 ZIP codes covering Macon are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Macon
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 29, 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 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 5 – May 10 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 5 – May 3 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 22 – Apr 12 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Georgia
- Warner Robins — zone 8b, last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 12
- Athens — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 4
- Atlanta — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 1
- South Fulton — zone 8a, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 13
- Columbus — zone 8b, last frost Mar 14, first frost Nov 16
- 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
Macon gardening questions
When is the last frost in Macon, GA?
Plan around Mar 29. At NOAA's Macon Middle Ga Regional Airport, GA station, 8.9 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 21, and after Apr 7 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 3. 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 Macon, GA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 1 – Feb 15 and set transplants outside Apr 5 – Apr 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 220 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 Macon?
About 235 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 212 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 260 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 29 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That ranks 6th longest of 12 Georgia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Macon?
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 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Macon's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Macon 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 Macon compare with Warner Robins, GA?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Macon (Mar 29) comes about 9 days later than in Warner Robins, GA (Mar 20), 15 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Nov 12. The two cities use different NOAA stations.