Frost dates · USDA zone 8a
Frost dates for Charlotte, NC
Charlotte, NC sees its last 32 °F night of spring around March 30 and its first of fall around November 3 — a 221-day freeze-free season in a typical year.
Pick a sauce; the Plan Builder runs this station's dates and hands back the calendar, plant count and gear list.
Freeze odds, by date
| Odds | Last spring freeze after | First fall freeze before |
|---|---|---|
| 9 years in 10 | Mar 12 | Nov 17 |
| Median — 1 year in 2 | Mar 30 | Nov 3 |
| 1 year in 10 | Apr 14 | Oct 22 |
The top row is the risky edge: in 9 years of 10 a spring freeze still comes after it, so tender transplants set out then need cover. The bottom row is the cautious date — only 1 year in 10 freezes after it — and the one to plan uncovered tender transplants against. Freeze-free season: 221 days median, at least 201 in 9 years of 10, at least 244 days in 1 year of 10. NOAA ranks season length year by year, so it is not the gap between two rows above. A hard freeze (28 °F) has a median last date of Mar 17 and first of Nov 14.
Charlotte planting calendar, 2027
Every row runs from the median last frost (Mar 30) and median first frost (Nov 3) above, using each cultivar's days to maturity. Same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardneck GarlicSiberian (porcelain hardneck) | — | Oct 15prior fall | Jun 12 | 240 from sow |
| Spanish OnionYellow Sweet Spanish (long-day) | Jan 5 | Mar 2 | Jun 20 | 110 from transplant |
| Mustard greensGarnet Giant (Brassica juncea) | Direct sow | Mar 30 | Apr 29 | 30 from sow |
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Mar 16 | Mar 16 | Apr 30 | 45 from sow |
| Genovese BasilGenovese | Mar 2 | Apr 13 | Jun 12 | 60 from transplant |
| CayenneLong Slim Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 2 | Apr 6 | Jun 20 | 75 from transplant |
| HabaneroOrange Habanero (Capsicum chinense) | Jan 19 | Apr 13 | Jul 17 | 95 from transplant |
| JalapeñoEarly Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 2 | Apr 6 | Jun 20 | 75 from transplant |
| Marconi Red PepperMarconi Red (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 2 | Apr 6 | Jun 25 | 80 from transplant |
| SerranoSerrano Tampiqueño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 2 | Apr 6 | Jun 25 | 80 from transplant |
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Mar 16 | Mar 16 | May 25 | 70 from sow |
| TomatilloToma Verde | Feb 16 | Apr 6 | Jun 15 | 70 from transplant |
| Roma TomatoRoma VF (determinate paste) | Feb 16 | Apr 6 | Jun 20 | 75 from transplant |
| San Marzano TomatoSan Marzano (indeterminate paste) | Feb 16 | Apr 6 | Jun 25 | 80 from transplant |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost: start that crop indoors on time or cover it in fall.
What sauce can Charlotte grow?
Each sauce, scheduled for a Charlotte container garden: when the first seeds go in and when enough fruit has ripened for one batch.
Charlotte frost questions
When is the last frost in Charlotte, NC?
The median last 32 °F freeze at CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS AP, NC is March 30: half of years see a later one. One year in ten, a freeze still comes after April 14; nine years in ten, it comes after March 12. Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
When is the first frost in Charlotte, NC?
The median first 32 °F freeze of fall is November 3. One year in ten it arrives before October 22; nine years in ten, before November 17.
How long is the growing season in Charlotte, NC?
221 days between the last spring and first fall 32 °F freeze in a median year. Nine years in ten the season runs at least 201 days; one year in ten, at least 244 days.
What growing zone is Charlotte, NC?
USDA hardiness zone 8a, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for ZIP 28204. A zone describes the coldest winter night, not when frost ends, so it is the wrong number for a planting calendar — the frost dates on this page are the right one.
When should I plant tomatoes in Charlotte, NC?
Start Roma VF (determinate paste) seeds indoors around Feb 16 and transplant around Apr 6, 1 week after the median last frost. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, wait for Apr 14. First ripe fruit lands around Jun 20.
When should I plant peppers in Charlotte, NC?
Sow jalapeño indoors on a heat mat around Feb 2; transplant no earlier than Apr 6, and wait past it until nights hold above 50 °F — that can run weeks later. First green pods around Jun 20.
Nearby in North Carolina
- Huntersvillelast frost Mar 30
- Indian Traillast frost Mar 31
- Concordlast frost Apr 1
- Gastonialast frost Mar 27
- Kannapolislast frost Apr 1
- Mooresvillelast frost Apr 9
All North Carolina frost dates → · How frost-date math drives a sowing calendar →