blissgarden.

When to plant in Calera, AL

USDA Zone 8b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Calera, Alabama — all computed from Calera's nearest NOAA weather station.

With about 249 frost-free days, Calera supports back-to-back plantings; stagger sowings every few weeks to keep beds productive spring through fall. In zone 8b, Calera supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP · 7.1 km
Last spring frost
March 12
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 16
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
249 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for CaleraA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Calera: last spring frost around March 12, first fall frost around November 16, about 249 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Calera is now 7 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Calera’s own odds, recorded at ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP.

Frost-probability curves for CaleraProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 12 and the first fall frost around November 16, giving about 249 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FApr 14Mar 27Mar 7Oct 23Nov 4Nov 21
32°FMar 31Mar 12Feb 20Nov 1Nov 16Dec 4
28°FMar 17Feb 27Jan 31Nov 10Dec 1Dec 28

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 20
Fall sowin 7 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 21 days
Rutabaga
August 10August 24

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Calera, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 23 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP
Primary
7 km · 172 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 12
FALL
Nov 16
HELENA
19 km · 146 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 19
FALL
Nov 8
THORSBY EXP STN
23 km · 207 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 21
FALL
Nov 11

Calera planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Calera, AL?

Plan for the last spring frost in Calera around March 12 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Calera, AL?

In Calera, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 16 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Calera in?

Calera is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Calera?

Calera has about 249 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 12) and first fall frost (November 16).

When should I plant tomatoes in Calera?

For Calera, sow tomatoes indoors about January 15–January 29 and move the seedlings out around March 19, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Calera

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Calera’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP, 7 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Calera, AL — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00053864. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/alabama/calera.