Montgomery, Alabama: planting zone & frost dates
Montgomery 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 13 and the first fall frost around Nov 9.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 23 | Nov 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 13 | Nov 9 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 4 | Nov 18 |
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 MONTGOMERY 6SW, AL (USC00015553), 6.8 mi (10.9 km) from the city center and 36 ft lower than the city center (-11 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 19 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Montgomery
All 17 ZIP codes covering Montgomery are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Montgomery
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 9). 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 16 – Jan 30 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Feb 13 – Mar 27 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Cucumber | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 27 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Onion | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Sep 14 – Oct 12 |
| Kale | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Broccoli | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Eggplant | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 27 | Sep 28 – Oct 26 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
Nearby cities in Alabama
- Auburn — zone 8b, last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 10
- Hoover — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 2
- Birmingham — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 6
- Tuscaloosa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 25, first frost Nov 5
- Huntsville — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 2
- Mobile — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 28
More: all Alabama cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Montgomery gardening questions
When is the last frost in Montgomery, AL?
Plan around Mar 13. At NOAA's Montgomery 6SW, AL station, 6.8 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 4, and after Mar 23 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 17. The 90% and 10% dates are 42 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Montgomery, AL?
Start seeds indoors Jan 16 – Jan 30 and set transplants outside Mar 20 – Apr 3, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 241 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 Montgomery?
About 262 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 234 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 293 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 1 and a 30% chance by Nov 9. That ranks 2nd longest of 7 Alabama cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Montgomery?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 9): transplant broccoli Aug 17 – Aug 31; sow kale Aug 31 – Sep 28; sow lettuce Aug 31 – Sep 28; sow radishes Sep 28 – Oct 26. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 4. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Montgomery's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Montgomery 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 Montgomery compare with Auburn, AL?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Montgomery (Mar 13) comes about 8 days earlier than in Auburn, AL (Mar 21), 48 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 9 versus Nov 10. Montgomery sits about 410 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.