When to plant in Alabama
Most of Alabama sees its last spring frost between Mar 4 and Apr 4, and its first fall frost between Oct 31 and Nov 24. The middle of the state is around March 21 and November 10: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in Alabama: 7b (6%), 8a (41%), 8b (42%), 9a (11%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 18 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 17 – Sep 9 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 4 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 22 – Sep 14 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 2 – Jul 21 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 28 – Aug 6 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jul 12 – Aug 16 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 2 – Jul 14 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 8 – May 13 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 22 – Jul 20 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 7 – May 19 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Kale | Jan 10 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 17 – Jul 10 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Broccoli | Jan 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 29 – Jun 3 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
| Cabbage | Jan 10 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | May 2 – Jun 6 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 9 – Jun 20 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Beet | — | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 24 – Jun 5 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Radish | — | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 25 – Jun 29 | — |
| Garlic | — | Nov 3 – Nov 24 (fall) | May 25 – Jun 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 29 – Jul 3 | — |
| Sweet potato | Feb 28 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Jul 20 – Aug 17 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Jul 5 – Aug 9 | — |
| Basil | Feb 25 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 8 – Aug 14 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 18 – May 16 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 27 – Aug 1 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Alabama. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Alabama
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 8a | Mar 21 | Nov 11 |
| Mobile | 9a | Mar 3 | Nov 25 |
| Montgomery | 8b | Mar 4 | Nov 18 |
| Huntsville | 8a | Apr 4 | Oct 30 |
| Tuscaloosa | 8b | Mar 18 | Nov 10 |
| Anniston | 8a | Mar 23 | Nov 9 |
| Gadsden | 8a | Mar 19 | Nov 13 |
| Decatur | 8a | Mar 26 | Nov 7 |
| Dothan | 9a | Mar 1 | Nov 24 |
| Florence | 8a | Mar 27 | Nov 3 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.