Calendars by city / AL
Birmingham, Alabama vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Birmingham, Alabama built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT, AL US (station USW00013876), not from a hardiness zone.
Birmingham, Alabama planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 20 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 9 – Feb 6 | Transplant: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 22 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 9 – Feb 6 | Transplant: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 2 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 10 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Jan 23 – Feb 20 | Transplant: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 15 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Oct 7 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 27 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 27 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Aug 8 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Aug 8 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 10 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 22 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Jul 17 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Oct 27 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Oct 17 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 20 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Oct 7 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Sep 13 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 19 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Aug 14 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Sep 18 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Transplant: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Sep 13 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | Transplant: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Sep 3 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Transplant: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Sep 8 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Sep 23 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 4 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 19 | 85 |
What the Birmingham, Alabama frost-free season means for your choices
At 230 frost-free days, Birmingham, Alabama gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Feb 27 – Mar 13 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 10 – Apr 24; start tomato seeds indoors Feb 20 – Mar 20.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Birmingham, AL planting questions
When is the last frost in Birmingham, Alabama?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT, AL US is Mar 27, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Mar 10.
When can I plant tomatoes in Birmingham, Alabama?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Apr 10 – Apr 24 in Birmingham, Alabama. Start the seeds indoors Feb 20 – Mar 20, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Birmingham, Alabama?
Birmingham, Alabama averages 230 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Mar 27 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 12 at BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT, AL US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Birmingham, Alabama?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 9 – Feb 6. Hardy crops are transplanted out Feb 27 – Mar 13 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Birmingham, Alabama?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Nov 12, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT, AL US (USW00013876) |
|---|---|
| Location | 33.56556, -86.745 · elevation 187.5 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Mar 27 / Mar 10 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 12 / Nov 27 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Atlanta, Georgia — last spring frost Mar 20
- Nashville, Tennessee — last spring frost Apr 6
- Louisville, Kentucky — last spring frost Apr 3
- Charlotte, North Carolina — last spring frost Apr 4
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.