Raleigh, NC Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Raleigh, North Carolina.
Gardening in Raleigh
The Research Triangle's brain power extends to the garden — NC State's agricultural programs make Raleigh one of the most knowledge-rich gardening cities in America. Combine academic expertise with the Piedmont's long growing season and you get a city where data-driven gardening is a real thing.
Raleigh's Piedmont climate gives you 222 frost-free days and mild enough winters for year-round cool-season production. The red clay is the universal challenge, but NC State's extension publications have more pages on amending Piedmont clay than most textbooks have on entire topics. Summer humidity grows incredible tomatoes and equally incredible fungal diseases.
Hurricanes fans know about storms, and Raleigh gardeners know that NC State Extension is the shelter. The State Farmers Market on Lake Wheeler Road is one of the largest in the Southeast. NC State's J.C. Raulston Arboretum proves that Piedmont conditions support an astonishing diversity of plants from around the world.
What This Means for Raleigh Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Raleigh is around March 28, and the average first fall frost arrives around November 5. That gives you approximately 222 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh
Raleigh's 222-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 North Carolina planting guide for all 40 plants: North Carolina Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Raleigh.
More About Zone 7B
Raleigh 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 North Carolina: North Carolina Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Raleigh 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 Raleigh (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 28). 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.