Chattanooga, Tennessee planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Chattanooga

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chattanooga Lovell Airport, 6.2 miles E 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 Chattanooga

1. January

   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

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: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, 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, sweet potatoes, 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 Chattanooga

All 9 of Chattanooga's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Chattanooga Lovell Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 7b in 37405, 37419, and 8a in 37343, 37404, 37406, 37411, 37415, 37416, 37421.

Planting dates for popular crops in Chattanooga

Nearby cities

• Cleveland, TN zone 7b, last frost Apr 6
• Huntsville, AL zone 8a, last frost Mar 24
• Murfreesboro, TN zone 7b, last frost Apr 9
• Marietta, GA zone 8a, last frost Apr 2
• Roswell, GA zone 8a, last frost Mar 25
• Alpharetta, GA zone 8a, last frost Mar 25