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Longview, Texas planting calendar and frost dates

Longview is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. The last spring frost typically comes around March 16 and the first fall frost around November 14, giving about 244 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 8b
Typical last frost
March 16
Typical first frost
November 14
Frost-free season
244 days

Frost dates in Longview

Last spring frost

  • February 24Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • March 16Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • April 7Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 31Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • November 14Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • December 4Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 244 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 28 and returns around November 28.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Longview, 7.1 miles ESE 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 Longview

  1. January

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

  2. February

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

    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

  3. March

    Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

  4. April

    Start indoors: zinnias

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

  5. May

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, 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 Longview

Longview's 4 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 3 different NOAA stations: the typical last frost ranges from March 7 in 75601 to March 16 in 75604. Every one of them is in zone 8b.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
756018bLongview #2, 0.7 mi NNEMar 7Nov 23
756028bLongview Wsmo, 6 mi SMar 11Nov 17
756048bLongview, 7.1 mi ESEMar 16Nov 14
756058bLongview #2, 4.6 mi SMar 7Nov 23

Planting dates for popular crops in Longview

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesJan 31 to Feb 14Mar 28 to Apr 11Aug 1 to 8
Strawberries—Feb 2 to 16—
LettuceJan 19 to Feb 2Mar 9 to 23Aug 15 to Sep 19
CilantroFeb 2 to 16Mar 16 to 23—
BasilFeb 7 to 21Mar 28 to Apr 4—
Potatoes—Feb 23 to Mar 2Jul 25 to Aug 1
Garlic—Feb 2 to 16Nov 14 to 28
OnionsNov 24 to Jan 5Feb 16 to Mar 2—
CucumbersFeb 28 to Mar 14Mar 28 to Apr 11Aug 15 to 29
PumpkinsMar 2 to 16Mar 30 to Apr 13—
PeppersJan 10 to Feb 7Mar 28 to Apr 11Jul 25 to Aug 22
Carrots—Feb 23 to Mar 16Aug 22 to Sep 12
Sweet Potatoes—Apr 20 to 27—
WatermelonsFeb 21 to Mar 7Mar 28 to Apr 11—
Sweet Corn—Mar 16 to 30Aug 8 to 22
Green Beans—Mar 28 to Apr 11Aug 22 to 29
ZucchiniFeb 28 to Mar 14Mar 28 to Apr 11Aug 22 to Sep 5
BroccoliDec 29 to Jan 19Feb 16 to Mar 2Aug 29 to Sep 26
Peas—Feb 2 to 16Aug 22 to Sep 5
SpinachFeb 2 to 9Mar 9 to 23Sep 5 to Oct 10
Sunflowers—Mar 16 to Apr 6—
ZinniasApr 9 to 16May 7 to 21—
Tulips——Oct 3 to Nov 28
Daffodils——Oct 3 to Nov 14
Grass Seed—Feb 2 to 16Oct 3 to 17

Nearby cities

Planting in TexasAbout zone 8bPrintable calendar for Longview

Questions

When is the last frost in Longview?

Around March 16 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Longview. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after April 7.

What planting zone is Longview in?

USDA hardiness zone 8b (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Longview?

Start seeds indoors January 31 to February 14 and set plants out March 28 to April 11; the safest date to plant out is after April 7.

When is the first frost in Longview?

Around November 14 in a typical year, and before October 31 about 1 year in 10.