Calendars by city / NC
Raleigh, North Carolina vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Raleigh, North Carolina built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at RALEIGH AIRPORT, NC US (station USW00013722), not from a hardiness zone.
Raleigh, North Carolina 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 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 12 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 16 – Feb 13 | Transplant: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 14 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 16 – Feb 13 | Transplant: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Aug 25 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 2 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Transplant: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 7 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 29 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 19 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 19 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Jul 31 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Jul 31 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 2 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 14 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jul 9 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Oct 19 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Oct 9 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 12 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 29 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Sep 5 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 11 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Aug 6 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Sep 10 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 13 – Mar 20 | Transplant: Apr 17 – May 1 | Sep 5 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Transplant: Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 26 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Transplant: Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 31 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Sep 15 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 27 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 11 | 85 |
What the Raleigh, North Carolina frost-free season means for your choices
At 215 frost-free days, Raleigh, North Carolina 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 6 – Mar 20 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 17 – May 1; start tomato seeds indoors Feb 27 – Mar 27.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Raleigh, NC planting questions
When is the last frost in Raleigh, North Carolina?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at RALEIGH AIRPORT, NC US is Apr 3, 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 20.
When can I plant tomatoes in Raleigh, North Carolina?
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 17 – May 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Start the seeds indoors Feb 27 – Mar 27, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Raleigh, North Carolina?
Raleigh, North Carolina averages 215 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 3 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 4 at RALEIGH AIRPORT, NC US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Raleigh, North Carolina?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 16 – Feb 13. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 6 – Mar 20 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 Raleigh, North Carolina?
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 4, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | RALEIGH AIRPORT, NC US (USW00013722) |
|---|---|
| Location | 35.8923, -78.7819 · elevation 126.8 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 3 / Mar 20 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 4 / Nov 18 |
| 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
- Charlotte, North Carolina — last spring frost Apr 4
- Richmond, Virginia — last spring frost Apr 4
- Washington, D.C. (Reagan National) — last spring frost Mar 28
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — last spring frost Apr 24
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.