Little Rock, AR Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Little Rock, Arkansas.
Gardening in Little Rock
Arkansas's capital sits at the geographic center of the state, where the Ozark foothills meet the Delta flatlands. Little Rock gardeners inherit both traditions — the hardscrabble mountain self-sufficiency of the northwest and the rich bottomland abundance of the southeast.
Little Rock's climate is Southern comfortable — 235 frost-free days, warm springs, hot summers, and mild winters that rarely produce severe cold. The Arkansas River provides valley warmth and fertile bottomland. Summer humidity is genuine but not Gulf Coast extreme. The soil varies from rocky Ozark clay in the western neighborhoods to fertile river bottom in the east.
The River Market District's Saturday morning scene connects Little Rock's farm heritage with its growing urban food culture. The city's historically Black neighborhoods in East Little Rock and Granite Mountain have food garden traditions that go back generations. Razorback fans bring passionate intensity to everything — including their opinions about the best tomato variety for the Arkansas River Valley.
What This Means for Little Rock Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Little Rock is around March 20, and the average first fall frost arrives around November 10. That gives you approximately 235 frost-free days to work with.
That's a generous season. You have time for full-size tomatoes, long-season peppers, and even watermelons without the anxiety of racing the frost. Start warm-season seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost to hit the ground running. Fall planting is your second opportunity — garlic, kale, lettuce, and broccoli all go in 8-10 weeks before your first frost for harvest into late autumn.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Little Rock area. Your actual frost dates could shift 2-3 weeks in either direction in any given year. Learn more about our data sources.
What to Grow in Little Rock
Little Rock's 235-day growing season is generous — long enough for two full growing windows (spring and fall) with warm-season crops between them. You can grow the full range of vegetables, herbs, and flowers with proper timing. Focus on heat-tolerant varieties for midsummer and cool-season crops for extended fall harvests. Recommended starting points: tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, garlic, kale, and sunflowers.
See the full Arkansas planting guide for all 40 plants: Arkansas Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Little Rock.
More About Zone 7B
Little Rock is in USDA Hardiness Zone 7B, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 5°F to 10°F. View the full Zone 7B planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Arkansas: Arkansas Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Arkansas
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Little Rock area. They represent historical averages, not predictions. In any given year, the actual last frost could be 2-3 weeks earlier or later. Microclimates within Little Rock (urban heat islands, hilltops, low-lying valleys) can also shift your local frost dates by a week or more.
Cool-season crops go in 3-4 weeks before your last frost (March 20). Warm-season crops wait until 2 weeks after. You have time for a fall round too — plant cool-season crops again in late summer for harvest into autumn. Enter your zip code for exact dates.