When to plant in New Orleans, LA
USDA Zone 9bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in New Orleans, Louisiana — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
A ~-17-day frost-free window makes New Orleans a short-season garden: choose early varieties and start long-season crops indoors well ahead of the last frost. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for New Orleans — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.
The average first fall frost in New Orleans is now 6 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AP · 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 New Orleans’s own odds, recorded at NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AP.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 7 | Feb 4 | Jan 5 | Nov 30 | Dec 26 | Jan 19 |
| 32°F | Feb 23 | Jan 22 | Dec 28 | Dec 13 | Jan 5 | Feb 1 |
| 28°F | Feb 11 | Jan 18 | Dec 26 | Dec 23 | Jan 11 | Feb 4 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.
Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in New Orleans, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 19 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.
New Orleans planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in New Orleans, LA?
Plan for the last spring frost in New Orleans around January 22 (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 New Orleans, LA?
Expect New Orleans's first fall frost near January 5 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is New Orleans in?
New Orleans is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in New Orleans?
New Orleans has about -17 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 22) and first fall frost (January 5).
When should I plant tomatoes in New Orleans?
For New Orleans, sow tomatoes indoors about November 27–December 11 and move the seedlings out around January 29, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in New Orleans
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to New Orleans’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Chalmette · 13 km
- Terrytown · 19 km
- Gretna · 19 km
- Timberlane · 22 km
- Harvey · 22 km
- Belle Chasse · 23 km
- Metairie · 24 km
- Marrero · 25 km
Frost dates recorded at NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AP, 9 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 New Orleans, LA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00053917. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/louisiana/new-orleans.