When to plant in Columbus, GA
USDA Zone 8bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Columbus, Georgia — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
In zone 8b, Columbus supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average first fall frost in Columbus is now 6 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
COLUMBUS #2 · 1991–2020The 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 Columbus’s own odds, recorded at COLUMBUS #2.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 19 | Apr 3 | Mar 16 | Oct 22 | Nov 3 | Nov 17 |
| 32°F | Apr 9 | Mar 21 | Feb 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 11 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F | Mar 26 | Mar 6 | Feb 12 | Nov 6 | Nov 24 | Dec 21 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Columbus, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 21 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Columbus planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Columbus, GA?
Columbus's average last spring frost falls near March 21 — 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 Columbus, GA?
In Columbus, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 11 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Columbus in?
Columbus is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Columbus?
Columbus has about 235 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 21) and first fall frost (November 11).
When should I plant tomatoes in Columbus?
For Columbus, sow tomatoes indoors about January 24–February 7 and move the seedlings out around March 28, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Columbus
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Columbus’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at COLUMBUS #2, 6 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Columbus, GA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00092159. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/georgia/columbus.