Calendars by city / TN
Nashville, Tennessee vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Nashville, Tennessee built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TN US (station USW00013897), not from a hardiness zone.
Nashville, Tennessee 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 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 10 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | Transplant: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 12 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | Transplant: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Aug 23 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 31 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | Transplant: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 5 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 27 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 17 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 17 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Jul 29 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Jul 29 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 31 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 12 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jul 7 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 17 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 7 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 10 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 27 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 3 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 9 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Aug 4 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 8 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 16 – Mar 23 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Sep 3 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 24 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 29 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 13 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Jul 25 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 9 | 85 |
What the Nashville, Tennessee frost-free season means for your choices
At 210 frost-free days, Nashville, Tennessee 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 Mar 9 – Mar 23 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 20 – May 4; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 2 – Mar 30.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Nashville, TN planting questions
When is the last frost in Nashville, Tennessee?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TN US is Apr 6, 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 25.
When can I plant tomatoes in Nashville, Tennessee?
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 20 – May 4 in Nashville, Tennessee. Start the seeds indoors Mar 2 – Mar 30, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Nashville, Tennessee?
Nashville, Tennessee averages 210 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 6 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 2 at NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TN US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Nashville, Tennessee?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 19 – Feb 16. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 9 – Mar 23 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 Nashville, Tennessee?
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 2, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TN US (USW00013897) |
|---|---|
| Location | 36.11889, -86.68917 · elevation 182.9 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 6 / Mar 25 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 2 / Nov 14 |
| 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
- Louisville, Kentucky — last spring frost Apr 3
- Birmingham, Alabama — last spring frost Mar 27
- Atlanta, Georgia — last spring frost Mar 20
- Indianapolis, Indiana — last spring frost Apr 16
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.