Plan your vegetable garden in North Carolina

All the statistical weather information you need to prepare a bulletproof plan for your garden in North Carolina

Temperature range in North Carolina

North Carolina has temperatures ranging from 14°F to 92°F, with approximately 224 frost free days.

North Carolina has 204 days with average temperature range from 50°F to 90°F that are suitable for growing warm season vegetables and 210 days with average temperature range from 40°F to 80°F that are suitable for growing cool season vegetables

Chart displaying weekly air temperature in North Carolina — North Carolina air temperature chart based on weather statistics from 2019 to 2023

Total frost free days (after last frost and before first frost)	224
Total days suitable to grow warm season vegetables	204
Total days suitable to grow cool season vegetables	210
Day with highest recorded temperature in past 4 years	June 17: 92°F
Day with lowest recorded temperature in past 4 years	December 24: 14°F
First expected frost date	November 13
Last expected frost date	April 03

Notable temperature facts for gardening in North Carolina

Warm season vegetables you can grow in North Carolina

Chart displaying days suitable for growing warm season vegetables in North Carolina — Days suitable for growing warm season vegetables in North Carolina

Warm season vegetables can be planted in North Carolina after April 24 when air temperatures are consistently above 50°F (10°C) and soil temperature is above 50°F (10°C)

Good temperature range for warm season vegetables is between 50°F and 90°F. With warm season vegetables it is important to wait until all conditions are optimal, because sudden temperature drop can stun new vegetable growth, this way delaying overall harvest.

Warm season vegetables that can be planted directly into soil in North Carolina

Cucumber

Summer squash

Winter squash

Sweet corn

Eggplant

Bell Pepper

Chilli Pepper

Okra

Tomato

Tomatillo

True Melon

Watermelon

Warm season vegetables that need to be started indoors before transplanting outdoors in North Carolina

Sweet potatoes

Chayote

Cool season vegetables you can grow in North Carolina

Chart displaying days suitable for growing cool season vegetables in North Carolina — Days suitable for growing cool season vegetables in North Carolina

Cool season vegetables can be planted in North Carolina after March 10 when average air temperature is consistently above 40°F (4°C) and soil temperature is above 45°F (7°C)

Good temperature range for cool season vegetables is between 40°F and 80°F. With cool season vegetables it is important to avoid high air temperatures because exposure to high temperatures is most likely to stun growth, cause bitterness and encourage premature bolting in some plants. Plan your cool vegetable planting so they are harvested before hot weather stretch, provide them with additional shading.

Cool season vegetables that can be planted directly into soil in North Carolina

Arugula

Beets

Carrot

Kale

Radish

Spinach

Swiss chard

Turnip

Rhubarb

Rutabaga

Parsley

Chives

Coriander

Parsnip

Kohlrabi

Cool season vegetables that need to be started indoors before transplanting outdoors in North Carolina

Peas

Broccoli

Lettuce

Cauliflower

Celery

Endive

Artichoke

Leeks

Mustard

Table with days suitable to grow vegetables in North Carolina

Tolerable temperature range for cool season vegetables: 40°F to 80°F

Tolerable temperature range for warm season vegetables: 50°F to 90°F

	Week	Average temperature	Possible min and max temperature	Suitable for cool season vegetables	Suitable for warm season vegetables
1	January 01 - January 03	48°F to 61°F	35°F to 71°F	TRUE
2	January 04 - January 10	38°F to 53°F	27°F to 65°F
3	January 11 - January 17	37°F to 51°F	27°F to 67°F
4	January 18 - January 24	34°F to 49°F	21°F to 65°F
5	January 25 - January 31	34°F to 49°F	23°F to 62°F
6	February 01 - February 07	38°F to 54°F	26°F to 72°F
7	February 08 - February 14	40°F to 56°F	29°F to 68°F	TRUE
8	February 15 - February 21	39°F to 54°F	27°F to 68°F
9	February 22 - February 28	44°F to 60°F	26°F to 75°F	TRUE
10	March 01 - March 07	43°F to 59°F	27°F to 74°F	TRUE
11	March 08 - March 14	42°F to 60°F	25°F to 72°F	TRUE
12	March 15 - March 21	44°F to 60°F	31°F to 77°F	TRUE
13	March 22 - March 28	48°F to 65°F	34°F to 78°F	TRUE
14	March 29 - April 04	46°F to 64°F	32°F to 80°F	TRUE
15	April 05 - April 11	51°F to 69°F	37°F to 78°F	TRUE	TRUE
16	April 12 - April 18	52°F to 70°F	39°F to 77°F	TRUE	TRUE
17	April 19 - April 25	50°F to 69°F	38°F to 80°F	TRUE	TRUE
18	April 26 - May 02	54°F to 72°F	45°F to 81°F	TRUE	TRUE
19	May 03 - May 09	56°F to 73°F	44°F to 84°F	TRUE	TRUE
20	May 10 - May 16	55°F to 72°F	41°F to 81°F	TRUE	TRUE
21	May 17 - May 23	61°F to 78°F	53°F to 89°F	TRUE	TRUE
22	May 24 - May 30	63°F to 78°F	54°F to 91°F	TRUE	TRUE
23	May 31 - June 06	63°F to 79°F	51°F to 88°F	TRUE	TRUE
24	June 07 - June 13	65°F to 79°F	53°F to 89°F	TRUE	TRUE
25	June 14 - June 20	64°F to 80°F	56°F to 92°F	TRUE	TRUE
26	June 21 - June 27	66°F to 81°F	60°F to 91°F		TRUE
27	June 28 - July 04	68°F to 84°F	60°F to 90°F		TRUE
28	July 05 - July 11	70°F to 84°F	63°F to 90°F		TRUE
29	July 12 - July 18	70°F to 85°F	67°F to 90°F		TRUE
30	July 19 - July 25	70°F to 85°F	63°F to 91°F		TRUE
31	July 26 - August 01	70°F to 86°F	64°F to 90°F		TRUE
32	August 02 - August 08	69°F to 83°F	64°F to 88°F		TRUE
33	August 09 - August 15	70°F to 85°F	63°F to 90°F		TRUE
34	August 16 - August 22	69°F to 82°F	63°F to 90°F		TRUE
35	August 23 - August 29	69°F to 83°F	64°F to 90°F		TRUE
36	August 30 - September 05	67°F to 82°F	58°F to 89°F		TRUE
37	September 06 - September 12	67°F to 81°F	59°F to 89°F		TRUE
38	September 13 - September 19	64°F to 78°F	56°F to 86°F	TRUE	TRUE
39	September 20 - September 26	60°F to 75°F	48°F to 87°F	TRUE	TRUE
40	September 27 - October 03	60°F to 75°F	53°F to 91°F	TRUE	TRUE
41	October 04 - October 10	57°F to 72°F	45°F to 88°F	TRUE	TRUE
42	October 11 - October 17	57°F to 71°F	47°F to 79°F	TRUE	TRUE
43	October 18 - October 24	50°F to 68°F	38°F to 76°F	TRUE
44	October 25 - October 31	55°F to 69°F	47°F to 78°F	TRUE	TRUE
45	November 01 - November 07	46°F to 63°F	34°F to 76°F	TRUE
46	November 08 - November 14	48°F to 63°F	28°F to 76°F	TRUE
47	November 15 - November 21	42°F to 57°F	31°F to 70°F	TRUE
48	November 22 - November 28	42°F to 58°F	31°F to 67°F	TRUE
49	November 29 - December 05	41°F to 57°F	28°F to 70°F	TRUE
50	December 06 - December 12	41°F to 55°F	29°F to 67°F	TRUE
51	December 13 - December 19	39°F to 54°F	29°F to 67°F
52	December 20 - December 26	35°F to 51°F	14°F to 68°F
53	December 27 - December 31	42°F to 57°F	23°F to 68°F	TRUE

Table with days suitable to grow vegetables in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina

For more precise weather statisctics and planting information, please select a County.