Nashville, TN Frost Dates & Growing Season

The two dates every Nashville garden is planned around, plus ready-computed planting windows for the most popular crops.

Last spring frost
Apr 1
~50% chance of frost after
First fall frost
Oct 31
~50% chance of frost before
Growing season
213 days
frost-free stretch
USDA zone
7b
2023 hardiness map
Risky (1 year in 10)MedianSafe (9 years in 10)
Last spring frost Mar 16 Apr 1 Apr 16
First fall frost Nov 13 Oct 31 Oct 18
Hard freeze (28°F), median last Mar 20 · first Nov 9

Computed from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the Shelby Bottoms Nature station (5 km from central Nashville). "Safe" means frost past that date happens only about one year in ten. Your exact garden can still run days either way with elevation and terrain — check your own ZIP with the frost date lookup.

Planting windows for Nashville

Computed from Nashville's own frost dates. Click any crop for the full zone-7 growing guide — varieties, spacing, fall plantings, and more.

CropStart seeds indoorsTransplantDirect sow
🍅 Tomatoes Feb 4 – Feb 18 Apr 8 – Apr 15
🫑 Peppers Jan 21 – Feb 4 Apr 15 – Apr 22
🥬 Lettuce Feb 18 – Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 18 Mar 4 – Apr 1
🫛 Peas Feb 18 – Mar 4
🥕 Carrots Mar 11 – Apr 1
🥦 Broccoli Feb 11 – Feb 25 Mar 11 – Mar 25
🥬 Kale Feb 18 – Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 18 Mar 4 – Mar 18
🥒 Cucumbers Mar 4 – Mar 11 Apr 8 – Apr 15 Apr 8 – Apr 15
🥒 Zucchini Mar 4 – Mar 11 Apr 8 – Apr 15 Apr 8 – Apr 15
🫘 Green Beans (Bush) Apr 8 – Apr 15
🌽 Sweet Corn Apr 8 – Apr 15
🌿 Basil Feb 18 – Mar 4 Apr 8 – Apr 15 Apr 15 – Apr 22
🧄 Garlic Fall: Sep 19 – Oct 17

Want this for all 50 crops, or as a printable seed-shelf schedule? Use the planting calendar and the seed starting scheduler — both can use Nashville's dates automatically after a lookup.

Reading the season in Nashville

With roughly 213 frost-free days, Nashville gardens fit long-season crops — melons, winter squash, sweet potatoes — with room left for spring and fall rounds of greens and roots. The first frost around Oct 31 is late enough that fall planting is a full second season, not an afterthought.

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Nashville, TN?

The average last spring frost in Nashville is around Apr 1, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. That's a median — about half of years see a later frost, so tender crops are safest going out a week or two after this date.

When is the first frost in Nashville, TN?

The average first fall frost in Nashville arrives around Oct 31. Crops still in the garden need to mature before then, and frost-tender plants need harvesting or protection as the date approaches.

How long is the growing season in Nashville?

About 213 frost-free days on average, from Apr 1 to Oct 31. That comfortably fits long-season crops like melons and winter squash, plus spring and fall plantings of cool-season vegetables.

What USDA zone is Nashville in?

USDA zone 7b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Note that zones describe winter cold, not frost timing — these frost dates are the numbers to plan plantings around.