Shreveport, Louisiana: planting zone & frost dates
Shreveport 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 17 and the first fall frost around Nov 11.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 29 | Nov 2 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 17 | Nov 11 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 9 | 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 SHREVEPORT, LA (USW00013957), 3.0 mi (4.9 km) from the city center and 52 ft higher than the city center (+16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Shreveport
All 12 ZIP codes covering Shreveport are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Shreveport
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 11). 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 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Feb 17 – Mar 31 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 28 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cucumber | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 24 – Mar 31 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Onion | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | Sep 16 – Oct 14 |
| Kale | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Eggplant | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 10 – Mar 31 | Sep 30 – Oct 28 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
Nearby cities in Louisiana
- Lake Charles — zone 9a, last frost Feb 26, first frost Nov 28
- Lafayette — zone 9a, last frost Mar 7, first frost Nov 19
- Baton Rouge — zone 9a, last frost Mar 10, first frost Nov 15
- New Orleans — zone 9b, last frost Feb 1, first frost Dec 29
More: all Louisiana cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Shreveport gardening questions
When is the last frost in Shreveport, LA?
Plan around Mar 17. At NOAA's Shreveport, LA station, 3.0 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 9, and after Mar 29 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 22. 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 Shreveport, LA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 20 – Feb 3 and set transplants outside Mar 24 – Apr 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 239 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 Shreveport?
About 255 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 229 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 282 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 2 and a 30% chance by Nov 11. That is the shortest of the 5 Louisiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Shreveport?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 11): transplant broccoli Aug 19 – Sep 2; sow kale Sep 2 – Sep 30; sow lettuce Sep 2 – Sep 30; sow radishes Sep 30 – Oct 28. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Shreveport's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Shreveport is zone 8b 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.
How does Shreveport compare with Longview, TX?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Shreveport (Mar 17) comes about the same time as in Longview, TX (Mar 15), 57 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 11 versus Nov 14. The two cities use different NOAA stations.