When to plant in Tennessee
Most of Tennessee sees its last spring frost between Mar 27 and Apr 20, and its first fall frost between Oct 23 and Nov 6. The middle of the state is around April 6 and October 30: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 4 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 1 – Sep 23 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 18 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 6 – Sep 28 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 16 – Aug 4 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 11 – Aug 20 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 26 – Aug 30 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 16 – Jul 28 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 24 – May 29 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 6 – Aug 3 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 4 – May 16 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Jan 26 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 3 – Jul 26 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 15 – Jun 19 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Cabbage | Jan 26 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 18 – Jun 22 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 25 – Jul 6 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Beet | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 10 – Jun 21 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Radish | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Jun 10 – Jul 15 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 23 – Nov 13 (fall) | Jun 1 – Jun 22 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Jun 14 – Jul 19 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Aug 5 – Sep 2 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jul 21 – Aug 25 | — |
| Basil | Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | May 22 – Aug 28 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 4 – Jun 1 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 11 – Aug 15 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 8a | Mar 16 | Nov 16 |
| Nashville | 7b | Apr 1 | Oct 31 |
| Knoxville | 7b | Apr 11 | Oct 28 |
| Chattanooga | 8a | Mar 31 | Nov 6 |
| Murfreesboro | 7b | Apr 9 | Oct 27 |
| Jackson | 7b | Apr 2 | Oct 29 |
| Johnson City | 7b | Apr 19 | Oct 24 |
| Kingsport | 7b | Apr 9 | Oct 29 |
| Clarksville | 7b | Apr 6 | Oct 30 |
| Cleveland | 7b | Apr 6 | Oct 30 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.