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Mobile, Alabama planting calendar and frost dates

Mobile is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. The last spring frost typically comes around February 21 and the first fall frost around December 6, giving about 292 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 9a
Typical last frost
February 21
Typical first frost
December 6
Frost-free season
292 days

Frost dates in Mobile

Last spring frost

  • January 25Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • February 21Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • March 15Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • November 15Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • December 6Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • New yearLate: in about 1 year in 10, the first frost waits until after December 31

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 292 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 February 2 and returns around December 30.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 miles SSW 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 Mobile

  1. January

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

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

  2. February

    Start indoors: 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, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips

  3. March

    Start indoors: cosmos, okra, zinnias

    Plant or sow outdoors: basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

  4. April

    Start indoors: zinnias

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

  5. May

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

  6. August

    Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes

  7. September

    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, turnips, zucchini

  8. October

    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

  9. November

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

    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

  10. December

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

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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Mobile

All 12 of Mobile's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Mobile Dwtn Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9a.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
365829aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366029aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366039aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366059aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366069aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366089aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366099aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366179aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366189aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366199aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366939aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6
366959aMobile Dwtn Airport, 4.9 mi SSWFeb 21Dec 6

Planting dates for popular crops in Mobile

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesJan 10 to 24Mar 7 to 21Aug 23 to 30
Strawberries—Jan 10 to 24—
LettuceDec 27 to Jan 10Feb 14 to 28Sep 6 to Oct 11
CilantroJan 10 to 24Feb 21 to 28—
BasilJan 17 to 31Mar 7 to 14—
Potatoes—Jan 31 to Feb 7Aug 16 to 23
Garlic—Jan 10 to 24Dec 6 to 20
OnionsNov 1 to Dec 13Jan 24 to Feb 7—
CucumbersFeb 7 to 21Mar 7 to 21Sep 6 to 20
PumpkinsFeb 7 to 21Mar 7 to 21—
PeppersDec 20 to Jan 17Mar 7 to 21Aug 16 to Sep 13
Carrots—Jan 31 to Feb 21Sep 13 to Oct 4
Sweet Potatoes—Apr 1 to 8—
WatermelonsJan 31 to Feb 14Mar 7 to 21—
Sweet Corn—Feb 21 to Mar 7Aug 30 to Sep 13
Green Beans—Mar 7 to 21Sep 13 to 20
ZucchiniFeb 7 to 21Mar 7 to 21Sep 13 to 27
BroccoliDec 6 to 27Jan 24 to Feb 7Sep 20 to Oct 18
Peas—Jan 10 to 24Sep 13 to 27
SpinachJan 10 to 17Feb 14 to 28Sep 27 to Nov 1
Sunflowers—Feb 21 to Mar 14—
ZinniasMar 27 to Apr 3Apr 24 to May 8—
Tulips——Oct 25 to Dec 20
Daffodils——Oct 25 to Dec 6
Grass Seed—Jan 10 to 24Oct 25 to Nov 8

Nearby cities

Planting in AlabamaAbout zone 9aPrintable calendar for Mobile

Questions

When is the last frost in Mobile?

Around February 21 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Mobile Dwtn Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after March 15.

What planting zone is Mobile in?

USDA hardiness zone 9a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Mobile?

Start seeds indoors January 10 to 24 and set plants out March 7 to 21; the safest date to plant out is after March 15.

When is the first frost in Mobile?

Around December 6 in a typical year, and before November 15 about 1 year in 10.