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Huntsville, Alabama planting calendar and frost dates

Huntsville is in USDA hardiness zone 8a. The last spring frost typically comes around March 24 and the first fall frost around November 8, giving about 229 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 8a (parts in 7b)
Typical last frost
March 24
Typical first frost
November 8
Frost-free season
229 days

Frost dates in Huntsville

Last spring frost

  • March 4Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • March 24Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • April 8Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 27Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • November 8Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • November 25Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 229 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around March 10 and returns around November 20.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Huntsville International Airport, 12.8 miles WSW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Huntsville

  1. January

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

  2. February

    Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, onions, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

  3. March

    Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips

  4. April

    Start indoors: zinnias

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

  5. May

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

  6. June

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, st. augustinegrass, zoysiagrass

  7. July

    Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes

  8. August

    Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini

  9. September

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

  10. October

    Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips

  11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

  12. December

    Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Huntsville

All 11 of Huntsville's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Huntsville International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 8a.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
357418aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
357568aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
357638aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358018aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358028aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358038aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358058aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358068aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358108aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358118aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8
358248aHuntsville International Airport, 12.8 mi WSWMar 24Nov 8

Huntsville International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Madison, so their planting calendars match Huntsville's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Huntsville

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesFeb 9 to 23Apr 6 to 20Jul 26 to Aug 2
Strawberries—Feb 10 to 24—
LettuceJan 27 to Feb 10Mar 17 to 31Aug 9 to Sep 13
CilantroFeb 10 to 24Mar 24 to 31—
BasilFeb 16 to Mar 2Apr 6 to 13—
Potatoes—Mar 3 to 10Jul 19 to 26
Garlic—Feb 10 to 24Nov 8 to 22
OnionsDec 2 to Jan 13Feb 24 to Mar 10—
CucumbersMar 9 to 23Apr 6 to 20Aug 9 to 23
PumpkinsMar 10 to 24Apr 7 to 21—
PeppersJan 19 to Feb 16Apr 6 to 20Jul 19 to Aug 16
Carrots—Mar 3 to 24Aug 16 to Sep 6
Sweet Potatoes—Apr 23 to 30—
WatermelonsMar 2 to 16Apr 6 to 20—
Sweet Corn—Mar 24 to Apr 7Aug 2 to 16
Green Beans—Apr 6 to 20Aug 16 to 23
ZucchiniMar 9 to 23Apr 6 to 20Aug 16 to 30
BroccoliJan 6 to 27Feb 24 to Mar 10Aug 23 to Sep 20
Peas—Feb 10 to 24Aug 16 to 30
SpinachFeb 10 to 17Mar 17 to 31Aug 30 to Oct 4
Sunflowers—Mar 24 to Apr 14—
ZinniasApr 13 to 20May 11 to 25—
Tulips——Sep 27 to Nov 22
Daffodils——Sep 27 to Nov 8
Grass Seed—Feb 10 to 24Sep 27 to Oct 11

Nearby cities

Planting in AlabamaAbout zone 8aPrintable calendar for Huntsville

Questions

When is the last frost in Huntsville?

Around March 24 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Huntsville International Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after April 8.

What planting zone is Huntsville in?

USDA hardiness zone 8a (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 7b. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Huntsville?

Start seeds indoors February 9 to 23 and set plants out April 6 to 20; the safest date to plant out is after April 8.

When is the first frost in Huntsville?

Around November 8 in a typical year, and before October 27 about 1 year in 10.