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When to plant in Fort Mill, SC

USDA Zone 8a

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

In zone 8a, Fort Mill supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · ROCK HILL YORK CO AP · 10.9 km
Last spring frost
March 31
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 4
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
218 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Fort MillA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Fort Mill: last spring frost around March 31, first fall frost around November 4, about 218 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

ROCK HILL YORK CO AP · 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 Fort Mill’s own odds, recorded at ROCK HILL YORK CO AP.

Frost-probability curves for Fort MillProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 31 and the first fall frost around November 4, giving about 218 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 28Apr 13Mar 29Oct 14Oct 26Nov 7
32°FApr 15Mar 31Mar 13Oct 23Nov 4Nov 19
28°FApr 4Mar 18Feb 27Nov 1Nov 16Dec 4

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 15July 29
Fall sowin 10 days
Rutabaga
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 24 days
Broccoli
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Cabbage
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Carrot
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Cauliflower
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Napa Cabbage
August 12September 9

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 24 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.

ROCK HILL YORK CO AP
Primary
11 km · 204 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 31
FALL
Nov 4
WINTHROP UNIV
11 km · 198 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 27
FALL
Nov 5
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS AP
24 km · 222 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 30
FALL
Nov 3

Fort Mill planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Fort Mill, SC?

Plan for the last spring frost in Fort Mill around March 31 (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 Fort Mill, SC?

In Fort Mill, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 4 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Fort Mill in?

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

How long is the growing season in Fort Mill?

Fort Mill has about 218 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 31) and first fall frost (November 4).

When should I plant tomatoes in Fort Mill?

For Fort Mill, sow tomatoes indoors about February 3–February 17 and move the seedlings out around April 7, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Fort Mill

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ROCK HILL YORK CO AP, 11 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 Fort Mill, SC — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00053871. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/south-carolina/fort-mill.