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When to plant in Garner, NC

USDA Zone 8a

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

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

Station · GARNER · 4.7 km
Last spring frost
April 1
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 1
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
214 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for GarnerA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Garner: last spring frost around April 1, first fall frost around November 1, about 214 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

GARNER · 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 Garner’s own odds, recorded at GARNER.

Frost-probability curves for GarnerProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 1 and the first fall frost around November 1, giving about 214 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 30Apr 13Mar 31Oct 12Oct 23Nov 5
32°FApr 15Apr 1Mar 17Oct 19Nov 1Nov 15
28°FApr 5Mar 22Mar 4Oct 28Nov 10Dec 1

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 12July 26
Fall sowin 7 days
Rutabaga
July 26August 9
Fall sowin 21 days
Broccoli
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Cabbage
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Carrot
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Cauliflower
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Napa Cabbage
August 9September 6

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 14 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.

GARNER
Primary
5 km · 101 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 1
FALL
Nov 1
RALEIGH 4 SW
8 km · 128 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 28
FALL
Nov 9
RALEIGH STATE UNIV
14 km · 122 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 28
FALL
Nov 8

Garner planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Garner, NC?

Plan for the last spring frost in Garner around April 1 (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 Garner, NC?

Expect Garner's first fall frost near November 1 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Garner in?

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

How long is the growing season in Garner?

There are roughly 214 frost-free days in Garner (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around April 1 to the first fall frost near November 1.

When should I plant tomatoes in Garner?

In Garner, start tomato seeds indoors around February 4–February 18, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 8 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Garner

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at GARNER, 5 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 Garner, NC — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00313238. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/north-carolina/garner.
When to Plant in Garner, NC — Frost Dates & Zone 8a — BlissGarden