Nashville, Tennessee: planting zone & frost dates
Nashville 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 7 and the first fall frost around Oct 25.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 16 | Oct 18 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 7 | Oct 25 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 1 | Oct 31 |
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 SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE, TN (USC00408238), 3.4 mi (5.5 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Hardiness zone across Nashville
Nashville spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 31 ZIP codes): 7b (94%), 7a (6%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
ZIP codes in Nashville and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 37221 | 7b | 9.5% |
| 37013 | 7b | 8.2% |
| 37218 | 7b | 8.2% |
| 37209 | 7b | 7.1% |
| 37072 | 7b | 6.8% |
| 37080 | 7a | 6.1% |
| 37076 | 7b | 5.4% |
| 37189 | 7b | 5.3% |
| 37214 | 7b | 4.6% |
| 37115 | 7b | 4.5% |
| 37211 | 7b | 4.5% |
| 37207 | 7b | 4.1% |
| 37217 | 7b | 3.7% |
| 37138 | 7b | 2.6% |
| 37205 | 7b | 2.4% |
| 37210 | 7b | 2.0% |
| 37015 | 7b | 1.9% |
| 37206 | 7b | 1.6% |
| 37215 | 7b | 1.4% |
| 37216 | 7b | 1.4% |
| 37027 | 7b | 1.3% |
| 37143 | 7b | 1.3% |
| 37204 | 7b | 1.0% |
| 37208 | 7b | 1.0% |
| 37203 | 7b | 0.9% |
| 37212 | 7b | 0.6% |
| 37228 | 7b | 0.3% |
| 37201 | 7b | 0.1% |
| 37213 | 7b | 0.1% |
| 37219 | 7b | 0.0% |
| 37238 | 7b | 0.0% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Nashville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 7, first frost Oct 25). 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 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 14 – May 19 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 14 – May 12 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Apr 14 – May 5 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Cucumber | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Apr 14 – May 5 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 17 – Apr 21 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Onion | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Apr 21 – May 12 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Kale | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Eggplant | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 3 – Apr 21 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 17 – Apr 28 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
Nearby cities in Tennessee
- Franklin — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 25
- Murfreesboro — zone 7b, last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 22
- 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, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK, Newark, NJ