Murfreesboro, Tennessee: planting zone & frost dates
Murfreesboro 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 15 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 26 | Oct 15 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 15 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 9 | Oct 27 |
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 MURFREESBORO 5 N, TN (USC00406371), 5.3 mi (8.6 km) from the city center and 33 ft lower than the city center (-10 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Murfreesboro
All 6 ZIP codes covering Murfreesboro are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Murfreesboro
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 22). 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 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 22 – May 27 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 18 – Mar 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 18 – Mar 25 | Apr 29 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 25 – Apr 29 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Apr 29 – May 20 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 29 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 25 – May 6 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Tennessee
- Franklin — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 25
- Nashville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 7, first frost Oct 25
- Clarksville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 27
- Chattanooga — zone 8a, last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 3
- Knoxville — zone 7b, last frost Apr 19, first frost Oct 22
- Memphis — zone 8a, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 9
More: all Tennessee cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Murfreesboro gardening questions
When is the last frost in Murfreesboro, TN?
Plan around Apr 15. At NOAA's Murfreesboro 5 N, TN station, 5.3 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 Apr 9, and after Apr 26 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 28. The 90% and 10% dates are 35 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Murfreesboro, TN?
Start seeds indoors Feb 18 – Mar 4 and set transplants outside Apr 22 – May 6, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 190 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 Murfreesboro?
About 202 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 180 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 225 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 15 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 6th longest of 7 Tennessee cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Murfreesboro?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 7. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Murfreesboro's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Murfreesboro was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b 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 Murfreesboro compare with Franklin, TN?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Murfreesboro (Apr 15) comes about 5 days later than in Franklin, TN (Apr 10), 24 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 22 versus Oct 25. The two cities use different NOAA stations.