When to plant in Louisiana
Most of Louisiana sees its last spring frost between Feb 8 and Mar 15, and its first fall frost between Nov 12 and Dec 17. The middle of the state is around February 28 and November 25: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 31 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 30 – Aug 22 | — |
| Pepper | Jan 17 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 4 – Aug 27 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 15 – Jul 3 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 10 – Jul 19 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 24 – Jul 29 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 15 – Jun 26 | — |
| Peas | — | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 4 – Jul 2 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 17 – Apr 28 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Spinach | — | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 26 – Apr 9 | Oct 16 – Oct 30 |
| Kale | Dec 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 27 – Jun 19 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
| Broccoli | Dec 27 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 8 – May 13 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Cabbage | Dec 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 11 – May 16 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 18 – May 30 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Beet | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Radish | — | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Oct 17 – Oct 31 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | May 4 – Jun 8 | — |
| Garlic | — | Nov 15 – Dec 6 (fall) | May 25 – Jun 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 8 – Jun 12 | — |
| Sweet potato | Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 29 – Jul 27 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 14 – Jul 19 | — |
| Basil | Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Apr 20 – Jul 27 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Mar 28 – Apr 25 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jun 9 – Jul 14 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Louisiana. 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 Louisiana
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 9b | Feb 10 | Dec 17 |
| Baton Rouge | 9a | Feb 25 | Nov 26 |
| Shreveport | 8b | Feb 28 | Nov 24 |
| Metairie | 9b | Feb 10 | Dec 12 |
| Lafayette | 9a | Feb 26 | Nov 28 |
| Lake Charles | 9a | Mar 2 | Nov 25 |
| Monroe | 8b | Mar 8 | Nov 15 |
| Alexandria | 9a | Mar 1 | Nov 22 |
| Bossier City | 8b | Mar 14 | Nov 14 |
| Slidell | 9a | Mar 3 | Nov 21 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.