blissgarden.

When to plant in Asheville, NC

USDA Zone 7b

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

Zone 7b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Asheville, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · ASHEVILLE · 2.7 km
Last spring frost
April 6
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 31
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
208 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for AshevilleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Asheville: last spring frost around April 6, first fall frost around October 31, about 208 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

ASHEVILLE · 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 Asheville’s own odds, recorded at ASHEVILLE.

Frost-probability curves for AshevilleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 6 and the first fall frost around October 31, giving about 208 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 9Apr 20Apr 5Oct 9Oct 21Nov 2
32°FApr 24Apr 6Mar 20Oct 17Oct 31Nov 13
28°FApr 10Mar 26Mar 7Oct 28Nov 10Nov 28

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 11July 25
Fall sowin 6 days
Rutabaga
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 20 days
Broccoli
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Cabbage
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Carrot
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Cauliflower
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Napa Cabbage
August 8September 5

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 10 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.

ASHEVILLE
Primary
3 km · 682 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 6
FALL
Oct 31
BENT CREEK
8 km · 643 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 26
FALL
Oct 18
ENKA
10 km · 625 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 12
FALL
Oct 23

Asheville planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Asheville, NC?

Plan for the last spring frost in Asheville around April 6 (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 Asheville, NC?

In Asheville, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 31 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Asheville in?

Asheville is in USDA hardiness zone 7b. In zone 7b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Asheville?

There are roughly 208 frost-free days in Asheville (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 6 to the first fall frost near October 31.

When should I plant tomatoes in Asheville?

In Asheville, start tomato seeds indoors around February 9–February 23, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 13 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Asheville

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ASHEVILLE, 3 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 Asheville, NC — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00013872. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/north-carolina/asheville.