Paducah, KY Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Paducah, Kentucky.
Gardening in Paducah
Where the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers meet, Kentucky's westernmost significant city has the state's warmest climate and most Southern-influenced food traditions.
Zone 7a with 210 frost-free days — the longest season in Kentucky. The river confluence creates fertile bottomland and warm valley conditions. Western Kentucky's climate is closer to Tennessee than to Lexington.
Paducah's UNESCO Creative City designation extends to creative food growing. The Lower Town Arts District and National Quilt Museum attract visitors; the river valley soil sustains the residents.
What This Means for Paducah Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Paducah is around April 1, and the average first fall frost arrives around October 28. That gives you approximately 210 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 Paducah 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 Paducah
Paducah's 210-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 Kentucky planting guide for all 40 plants: Kentucky Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Paducah.
More About Zone 7A
Paducah is in USDA Hardiness Zone 7A, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 0°F to 5°F. View the full Zone 7A planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Kentucky: Kentucky Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Kentucky
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Paducah 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 Paducah (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 (April 1). 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.