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Winston-Salem, North Carolina planting calendar and frost dates

Winston-Salem is in USDA hardiness zone 8a. The last spring frost typically comes around March 30 and the first fall frost around November 5, giving about 220 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 8a (parts in 7b)
Typical last frost
March 30
Typical first frost
November 5
Frost-free season
220 days

Frost dates in Winston-Salem

Last spring frost

  • March 12Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • March 30Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • April 14Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 25Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • November 5Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • November 21Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 220 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 18 and returns around November 17.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Piedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 miles WNW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Winston-Salem shares this station with Greensboro, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.

What to plant each month in Winston-Salem

  1. January

    Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

  2. February

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

    Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

  3. March

    Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, petunias, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, wildflowers

  4. April

    Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

  5. May

    Start indoors: zinnias

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

  6. June

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

  7. July

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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Winston-Salem

All 8 of Winston-Salem's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Piedmont Triad International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 7b in 27040, 27103, 27106, 27127, and 8a in 27101, 27104, 27105, 27107.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
270407bPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271018aPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271037bPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271048aPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271058aPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271067bPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271078aPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5
271277bPiedmont Triad International Airport, 8.6 mi WNWMar 30Nov 5

Piedmont Triad International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Greensboro, so their planting calendars match Winston-Salem's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Winston-Salem

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesFeb 20 to Mar 6Apr 17 to May 1Jul 23 to 30
Strawberries—Feb 16 to Mar 2—
LettuceFeb 2 to 16Mar 23 to Apr 6Aug 6 to Sep 10
CilantroFeb 16 to Mar 2Mar 30 to Apr 6—
BasilFeb 27 to Mar 13Apr 17 to 24—
Potatoes—Mar 16 to 23Jul 16 to 23
Garlic—Feb 16 to Mar 2Nov 5 to 19
OnionsDec 8 to Jan 19Mar 2 to 16—
CucumbersMar 20 to Apr 3Apr 17 to May 1Aug 6 to 20
PumpkinsMar 20 to Apr 3Apr 17 to May 1—
PeppersJan 30 to Feb 27Apr 17 to May 1Jul 16 to Aug 13
Carrots—Mar 9 to 30Aug 13 to Sep 3
Sweet Potatoes—May 6 to 13—
WatermelonsMar 13 to 27Apr 17 to May 1—
Sweet Corn—Mar 30 to Apr 13Jul 30 to Aug 13
Green Beans—Apr 17 to May 1Aug 13 to 20
ZucchiniMar 20 to Apr 3Apr 17 to May 1Aug 13 to 27
BroccoliJan 12 to Feb 2Mar 2 to 16Aug 20 to Sep 17
Peas—Feb 16 to Mar 2Aug 13 to 27
SpinachFeb 16 to 23Mar 23 to Apr 6Aug 27 to Oct 1
Sunflowers—Mar 30 to Apr 20—
ZinniasApr 28 to May 5May 26 to Jun 9—
Tulips——Sep 24 to Nov 19
Daffodils——Sep 24 to Nov 5
Grass Seed—Feb 16 to Mar 2Sep 24 to Oct 8

Nearby cities

Planting in North CarolinaAbout zone 8aPrintable calendar for Winston-Salem

Questions

When is the last frost in Winston-Salem?

Around March 30 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Piedmont Triad International Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after April 14.

What planting zone is Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem?

Start seeds indoors February 20 to March 6 and set plants out April 17 to May 1.

When is the first frost in Winston-Salem?

Around November 5 in a typical year, and before October 25 about 1 year in 10.