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When to plant in Oxford, AL

USDA Zone 8a

Oxford, Alabama frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

Zone 8a means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Oxford, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · ANNISTON METRO AP · 1.6 km
Last spring frost
March 23
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 9
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
231 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for OxfordA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Oxford: last spring frost around March 23, first fall frost around November 9, about 231 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Oxford is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

ANNISTON METRO 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 Oxford’s own odds, recorded at ANNISTON METRO AP.

Frost-probability curves for OxfordProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 23 and the first fall frost around November 9, giving about 231 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 21Apr 6Mar 18Oct 17Oct 31Nov 11
32°FApr 9Mar 23Mar 1Oct 27Nov 9Nov 25
28°FMar 28Mar 8Feb 15Nov 5Nov 21Dec 9

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 1 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 15 days
Rutabaga
August 3August 17

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 Oxford, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 25 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.

ANNISTON METRO AP
Primary
2 km · 181 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 23
FALL
Nov 9
TALLADEGA 10 NNE
18 km · 160 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 26
FALL
Nov 4
HEFLIN
25 km · 305 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 6
FALL
Oct 31

Oxford planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Oxford, AL?

Plan for the last spring frost in Oxford around March 23 (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 Oxford, AL?

The first fall frost in Oxford typically arrives around November 9 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Oxford in?

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

How long is the growing season in Oxford?

There are roughly 231 frost-free days in Oxford (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 23 to the first fall frost near November 9.

When should I plant tomatoes in Oxford?

In Oxford, start tomato seeds indoors around January 26–February 9, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 30 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Oxford

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ANNISTON METRO AP, 2 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 Oxford, AL — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00013871. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/alabama/oxford.