Baton Rouge, Louisiana planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Baton Rouge

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Baton Rouge Ryan Airport, 6 miles N 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 Baton Rouge

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, 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

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, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, 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, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, 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, collard greens, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes

7. September

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

8. October

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

9. November

   Start indoors: onions

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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Baton Rouge

All 10 of Baton Rouge's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Baton Rouge Ryan Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9a.

Planting dates for popular crops in Baton Rouge

Nearby cities

• Lafayette, LA zone 9a, last frost Feb 13
• Kenner, LA zone 9b, last frost Jan 24
• New Orleans, LA zone 9b, last frost Jan 24
• Gulfport, MS zone 9a, last frost Feb 23
• Lake Charles, LA zone 9a, last frost Feb 14
• Jackson, MS zone 8b, last frost Mar 14