Memphis, Tennessee planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Memphis

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Memphis International Airport, 7.3 miles SSE 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 Memphis

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, 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, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, 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, 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, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, okra, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, 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. July

   Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes

7. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, potatoes, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini

8. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini

9. October

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

10. November

    Start indoors: onions

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

11. December

    Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Memphis

All 13 of Memphis's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Memphis International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 8a.

Memphis International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Southaven and Bartlett, so their planting calendars match Memphis's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Memphis

Nearby cities

• Southaven, MS zone 8a, last frost Mar 16
• Bartlett, TN zone 8a, last frost Mar 16
• Collierville, TN zone 8a, last frost Mar 29
• Jonesboro, AR zone 8a, last frost Mar 23
• Jackson, TN zone 7b, last frost Apr 2
• North Little Rock, AR zone 8a, last frost Mar 21