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When to plant in Atoka, TN

USDA Zone 8a

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

Heads up: the nearest complete-normals station is about 16 km from Atoka, so your yard's frost dates can differ — a low spot or a paved city center can shift them by a week. In zone 8a, Atoka supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · COVINGTON 3 SW · 15.7 km
Last spring frost
March 27
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 4
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
222 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for AtokaA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Atoka: last spring frost around March 27, first fall frost around November 4, about 222 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

COVINGTON 3 SW · 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 Atoka’s own odds, recorded at COVINGTON 3 SW.

Frost-probability curves for AtokaProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 27 and the first fall frost around November 4, giving about 222 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 26Apr 7Mar 22Oct 15Oct 26Nov 6
32°FApr 11Mar 27Mar 8Oct 23Nov 4Nov 21
28°FApr 2Mar 14Feb 26Nov 1Nov 16Dec 6

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 39 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.

COVINGTON 3 SW
Primary
16 km · 117 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 27
FALL
Nov 4
MEMPHIS WFO
33 km · 95 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 29
FALL
Nov 5
GERMANTOWN 4SE
39 km · 98 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 22
FALL
Nov 7

Atoka planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Atoka, TN?

Atoka's average last spring frost falls near March 27 — 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 Atoka, TN?

In Atoka, 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 Atoka in?

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

How long is the growing season in Atoka?

Atoka has about 222 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 27) and first fall frost (November 4).

When should I plant tomatoes in Atoka?

For Atoka, sow tomatoes indoors about January 30–February 13 and move the seedlings out around April 3, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Atoka

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at COVINGTON 3 SW, 16 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 Atoka, TN — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00402108. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/tennessee/atoka.