Tulsa, Oklahoma: planting zone & frost dates
Tulsa 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 5 and the first fall frost around Oct 30.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 15 | Oct 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 5 | Oct 30 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 31 | Nov 4 |
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 TULSA INTL AP, OK (USW00013968), 5.0 mi (8.1 km) from the city center and 75 ft lower than the city center (-23 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Tulsa
All 30 ZIP codes covering Tulsa are in zone 7b.
ZIP codes in Tulsa and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 74115 | 7b | 8.0% |
| 74127 | 7b | 6.8% |
| 74116 | 7b | 6.5% |
| 74133 | 7b | 6.4% |
| 74134 | 7b | 6.1% |
| 74137 | 7b | 5.3% |
| 74015 | 7b | 5.2% |
| 74108 | 7b | 4.2% |
| 74132 | 7b | 4.1% |
| 74107 | 7b | 4.0% |
| 74136 | 7b | 3.9% |
| 74105 | 7b | 3.7% |
| 74106 | 7b | 3.7% |
| 74112 | 7b | 3.5% |
| 74135 | 7b | 3.1% |
| 74110 | 7b | 3.0% |
| 74145 | 7b | 3.0% |
| 74146 | 7b | 2.6% |
| 74114 | 7b | 2.4% |
| 74129 | 7b | 2.0% |
| 74117 | 7b | 1.9% |
| 74128 | 7b | 1.8% |
| 74104 | 7b | 1.4% |
| 74014 | 7b | 1.3% |
| 74126 | 7b | 1.3% |
| 74055 | 7b | 1.1% |
| 74120 | 7b | 1.1% |
| 74119 | 7b | 0.4% |
| 74103 | 7b | 0.3% |
| 74171 | 7b | 0.2% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Tulsa
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 30). 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 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 12 – May 17 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Cucumber | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Onion | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Apr 19 – May 10 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Kale | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | — | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Eggplant | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | — | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 19 | Sep 18 – Oct 16 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
Nearby cities in Oklahoma
- Broken Arrow — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Oct 26
- Edmond — zone 7b, last frost Apr 18, first frost Oct 23
- Norman — zone 7b, last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 29
- Oklahoma City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 29
- Lawton — zone 7b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 1
More: all Oklahoma cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Newark, NJ
Tulsa gardening questions
When is the last frost in Tulsa, OK?
Plan around Apr 5. At NOAA's Tulsa Int'l Airport, OK station, 5.0 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 31, and after Apr 15 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 17. 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 Tulsa, OK?
Start seeds indoors Feb 8 – Feb 22 and set transplants outside Apr 12 – Apr 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 208 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 Tulsa?
About 220 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 198 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 243 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 20 and a 30% chance by Oct 30. That ranks 2nd longest of 6 Oklahoma cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Tulsa?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 30): transplant broccoli Aug 7 – Aug 21; sow kale Aug 21 – Sep 18; sow lettuce Aug 21 – Sep 18; sow radishes Sep 18 – Oct 16. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 13. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Tulsa's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Tulsa 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 Tulsa compare with Broken Arrow, OK?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Tulsa (Apr 5) comes about the same time as in Broken Arrow, OK (Apr 8), 9 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 30 versus Oct 26. The two cities use different NOAA stations.