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When to plant in Bella Vista, AR

USDA Zone 7a

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

Heads up: the nearest complete-normals station is about 17 km from Bella Vista, so your yard's frost dates can differ — a low spot or a paved city center can shift them by a week. Zone 7a means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Bella Vista, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · BENTONVILLE 4 S · 16.7 km
Last spring frost
April 12
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 26
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
197 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Bella VistaA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Bella Vista: last spring frost around April 12, first fall frost around October 26, about 197 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

BENTONVILLE 4 S · 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 Bella Vista’s own odds, recorded at BENTONVILLE 4 S.

Frost-probability curves for Bella VistaProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 12 and the first fall frost around October 26, giving about 197 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°FMay 8Apr 24Apr 9Oct 3Oct 17Oct 29
32°FApr 29Apr 12Mar 27Oct 13Oct 26Nov 9
28°FApr 18Mar 31Mar 12Oct 20Nov 4Nov 22

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Brussels Sprouts
July 6July 20
Fall sowin 1 days
Rutabaga
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 15 days
Broccoli
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Cabbage
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Carrot
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Cauliflower
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Napa Cabbage
August 3August 31

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 21 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.

BENTONVILLE 4 S
Primary
17 km · 372 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 12
FALL
Oct 26
GRAVETTE
17 km · 384 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 5
FALL
Oct 28
FAYETTEVILLE NW AR AP
21 km · 392 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 8
FALL
Oct 28

Bella Vista planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Bella Vista, AR?

Bella Vista's average last spring frost falls near April 12 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Bella Vista, AR?

Expect Bella Vista's first fall frost near October 26 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Bella Vista in?

Bella Vista is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Bella Vista?

There are roughly 197 frost-free days in Bella Vista (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 12 to the first fall frost near October 26.

When should I plant tomatoes in Bella Vista?

In Bella Vista, start tomato seeds indoors around February 15–March 1, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 19 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Bella Vista

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at BENTONVILLE 4 S, 17 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 Bella Vista, AR — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00030586. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/arkansas/bella-vista.
When to Plant in Bella Vista, AR — Frost Dates & Zone 7a — BlissGarden