Wilmington, North Carolina: planting zone & frost dates
Wilmington 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 26 and the first fall frost around Nov 13.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 4 | Nov 5 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 26 | Nov 13 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 19 | Nov 20 |
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 WILMINGTON INTL AP, NC (USW00013748), 4.1 mi (6.6 km) from the city center and 10 ft lower than the city center (-3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Wilmington
All 5 ZIP codes covering Wilmington are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Wilmington
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 26, first frost Nov 13). 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 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Feb 26 – Apr 9 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 2 – May 7 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Cucumber | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Onion | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 12 | Sep 18 – Oct 16 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
| Eggplant | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 19 – Apr 9 | Oct 2 – Oct 30 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
Nearby cities in North Carolina
- Fayetteville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Nov 4
- Greenville — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 3
- Raleigh — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 4
- Cary — zone 8a, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Durham — zone 8a, last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1
- Greensboro — zone 8a, last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 31
More: all North Carolina cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Wilmington gardening questions
When is the last frost in Wilmington, NC?
Plan around Mar 26. At NOAA's Wilmington Int'l Airport, NC station, 4.1 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 19, and after Apr 4 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 2. The 90% and 10% dates are 37 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Wilmington, NC?
Start seeds indoors Jan 29 – Feb 12 and set transplants outside Apr 2 – Apr 16, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 232 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 Wilmington?
About 247 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 223 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 274 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 5 and a 30% chance by Nov 13. That is the longest of the 13 North Carolina cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Wilmington?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 13): transplant broccoli Aug 21 – Sep 4; sow kale Sep 4 – Oct 2; sow lettuce Sep 4 – Oct 2; sow radishes Oct 2 – Oct 30. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 3. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Wilmington's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Wilmington 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 Wilmington compare with Fayetteville, NC?
Wilmington is zone 8b and Fayetteville is zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Wilmington (Mar 26) comes about 10 days earlier than in Fayetteville, NC (Apr 5), 86 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 13 versus Nov 4. Wilmington sits about 177 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.