When to plant in Briar Chapel, NC
Planting dates worked out from Briar Chapel's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 12
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Mar 30
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Nov 3
1 year in 10 by Oct 25
Frost-free days
215
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Chapel Hill 2 W · 10.0 km away · station 152 m, town 157 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 6 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 11 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Jan 26 – Feb 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 11 |
| Peas | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Apr 12 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | May 25 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | May 8 |
| Beet | — | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Apr 22 |
| Potato | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | May 18 |
| Kale | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 14 |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | May 1 |
| Cucumber | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 1 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 27 |
| Winter squash | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jul 1 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jun 4 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | May 31 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 20 – Nov 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Mar 26 |
| Basil | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 8 |
Briar Chapel's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1891 | Apr 6 |
| 1892 | Apr 15 |
| 1893 | Mar 30 |
| 1894 | Mar 30 |
| 1895 | Apr 3 |
| 1896 | Apr 8 |
| 1898 | Apr 6 |
| 1899 | Apr 10 |
| 1900 | Apr 5 |
| 1901 | Mar 29 |
| 1902 | Apr 3 |
| 1903 | Apr 5 |
| 1905 | Apr 18 |
| 1907 | Apr 16 |
| 1909 | Apr 11 |
| 1911 | Apr 24 |
| 1912 | Apr 8 |
| 1914 | Apr 10 |
| 1916 | Apr 10 |
| 1917 | Apr 10 |
| 1921 | Mar 5 |
| 1922 | Mar 23 |
| 1924 | Apr 3 |
| 1925 | Apr 7 |
| 1926 | Apr 20 |
| 1927 | Apr 11 |
| 1928 | Apr 17 |
| 1929 | Mar 11 |
| 1930 | Apr 26 |
| 1931 | Mar 30 |
| 1932 | Mar 23 |
| 1933 | Mar 22 |
| 1934 | Mar 25 |
| 1935 | Mar 15 |
| 1936 | Apr 4 |
| 1937 | Apr 11 |
| 1938 | Mar 12 |
| 1939 | Mar 19 |
| 1940 | Apr 14 |
| 1941 | Mar 30 |
| 1942 | Apr 1 |
| 1943 | Apr 16 |
| 1944 | Apr 6 |
| 1945 | Feb 25 |
| 1946 | Mar 12 |
| 1947 | Mar 29 |
| 1948 | Mar 29 |
| 1949 | Apr 17 |
| 1950 | Apr 16 |
| 1951 | Apr 6 |
| 1952 | Apr 8 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | Apr 2 |
| 1955 | Apr 1 |
| 1956 | May 9 |
| 1957 | Apr 16 |
| 1958 | Apr 8 |
| 1959 | Apr 5 |
| 1960 | Apr 11 |
| 1961 | Apr 30 |
| 1962 | Apr 21 |
| 1963 | May 2 |
| 1964 | Apr 10 |
| 1965 | Apr 3 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | Mar 31 |
| 1968 | Apr 17 |
| 1969 | Apr 1 |
| 1970 | Apr 8 |
| 1971 | Apr 15 |
| 1972 | Apr 27 |
| 1975 | Apr 14 |
| 1976 | Apr 13 |
| 1977 | Apr 10 |
| 1978 | Apr 22 |
| 1980 | May 11 |
| 1981 | Apr 7 |
| 1982 | May 2 |
| 1984 | Apr 11 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | Apr 24 |
| 1987 | Apr 7 |
| 1988 | Apr 20 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 20 |
| 1991 | Mar 16 |
| 1992 | Apr 6 |
| 1993 | Mar 21 |
| 1994 | Mar 30 |
| 1995 | Apr 4 |
| 1996 | Apr 10 |
| 1997 | Apr 10 |
| 1998 | Mar 23 |
| 1999 | Mar 17 |
| 2000 | Mar 19 |
| 2001 | Apr 20 |
| 2002 | Apr 7 |
| 2003 | Apr 1 |
| 2004 | Mar 24 |
| 2005 | Mar 20 |
| 2006 | Mar 28 |
| 2007 | Apr 10 |
| 2008 | Apr 17 |
| 2009 | Mar 23 |
| 2010 | Mar 9 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Mar 12 |
| 2013 | Mar 30 |
| 2014 | Apr 17 |
| 2015 | Mar 30 |
| 2016 | Apr 11 |
| 2017 | Mar 21 |
| 2018 | Apr 9 |
| 2020 | Mar 9 |
| 2021 | Apr 24 |
| 2022 | Mar 30 |
| 2023 | Mar 22 |
| 2024 | Mar 26 |
| 2025 | Mar 28 |
| 2026 | Mar 31 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 204 |
| 1892 | 192 |
| 1893 | 212 |
| 1894 | 220 |
| 1895 | 188 |
| 1896 | 193 |
| 1898 | 214 |
| 1899 | 207 |
| 1900 | 217 |
| 1901 | 222 |
| 1902 | 212 |
| 1909 | 221 |
| 1916 | 219 |
| 1921 | 217 |
| 1922 | 238 |
| 1924 | 203 |
| 1925 | 198 |
| 1926 | 189 |
| 1927 | 209 |
| 1928 | 208 |
| 1929 | 229 |
| 1930 | 178 |
| 1931 | 217 |
| 1932 | 234 |
| 1933 | 231 |
| 1934 | 217 |
| 1935 | 252 |
| 1936 | 209 |
| 1937 | 186 |
| 1938 | 257 |
| 1939 | 210 |
| 1940 | 208 |
| 1941 | 223 |
| 1942 | 224 |
| 1943 | 207 |
| 1944 | 214 |
| 1945 | 252 |
| 1946 | 246 |
| 1947 | 228 |
| 1948 | 203 |
| 1949 | 200 |
| 1950 | 203 |
| 1951 | 211 |
| 1952 | 195 |
| 1953 | 197 |
| 1954 | 212 |
| 1955 | 206 |
| 1956 | 184 |
| 1957 | 180 |
| 1958 | 205 |
| 1959 | 211 |
| 1960 | 193 |
| 1961 | 179 |
| 1962 | 185 |
| 1963 | 165 |
| 1964 | 180 |
| 1965 | 185 |
| 1966 | 172 |
| 1967 | 202 |
| 1968 | 192 |
| 1969 | 205 |
| 1970 | 192 |
| 1971 | 203 |
| 1972 | 175 |
| 1975 | 199 |
| 1976 | 180 |
| 1977 | 189 |
| 1978 | 168 |
| 1980 | 167 |
| 1982 | 167 |
| 1984 | 210 |
| 1985 | 212 |
| 1986 | 176 |
| 1987 | 184 |
| 1988 | 171 |
| 1989 | 154 |
| 1990 | 189 |
| 1991 | 233 |
| 1992 | 196 |
| 1993 | 217 |
| 1994 | 211 |
| 1995 | 209 |
| 1996 | 206 |
| 1997 | 219 |
| 1998 | 228 |
| 1999 | 231 |
| 2000 | 240 |
| 2001 | 191 |
| 2002 | 208 |
| 2003 | 226 |
| 2004 | 230 |
| 2005 | 220 |
| 2006 | 210 |
| 2007 | 202 |
| 2008 | 195 |
| 2009 | 228 |
| 2010 | 242 |
| 2011 | 206 |
| 2012 | 247 |
| 2013 | 209 |
| 2014 | 199 |
| 2015 | 202 |
| 2016 | 215 |
| 2020 | 253 |
| 2021 | 194 |
| 2022 | 202 |
| 2024 | 240 |
| 2025 | 227 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 22.6 °C |
| 1892 | 22.6 °C |
| 1893 | 22.6 °C |
| 1894 | 22.3 °C |
| 1895 | 22.1 °C |
| 1896 | 23.5 °C |
| 1898 | 23.0 °C |
| 1899 | 22.1 °C |
| 1900 | 23.6 °C |
| 1901 | 22.3 °C |
| 1902 | 23.1 °C |
| 1909 | 21.8 °C |
| 1916 | 21.7 °C |
| 1921 | 23.3 °C |
| 1922 | 23.2 °C |
| 1924 | 21.8 °C |
| 1925 | 23.4 °C |
| 1926 | 22.8 °C |
| 1928 | 21.6 °C |
| 1929 | 22.2 °C |
| 1930 | 23.3 °C |
| 1931 | 22.6 °C |
| 1932 | 23.1 °C |
| 1933 | 23.7 °C |
| 1934 | 23.5 °C |
| 1935 | 22.3 °C |
| 1936 | 23.2 °C |
| 1937 | 22.8 °C |
| 1938 | 22.8 °C |
| 1939 | 23.1 °C |
| 1940 | 22.2 °C |
| 1941 | 23.6 °C |
| 1942 | 23.4 °C |
| 1943 | 23.0 °C |
| 1944 | 23.2 °C |
| 1945 | 23.2 °C |
| 1946 | 22.2 °C |
| 1947 | 22.7 °C |
| 1948 | 22.7 °C |
| 1949 | 22.7 °C |
| 1950 | 21.6 °C |
| 1951 | 21.9 °C |
| 1952 | 22.6 °C |
| 1953 | 22.7 °C |
| 1954 | 22.4 °C |
| 1955 | 22.2 °C |
| 1956 | 21.0 °C |
| 1957 | 21.8 °C |
| 1958 | 21.2 °C |
| 1959 | 21.9 °C |
| 1960 | 21.5 °C |
| 1961 | 20.6 °C |
| 1962 | 21.1 °C |
| 1963 | 20.7 °C |
| 1964 | 20.9 °C |
| 1965 | 21.8 °C |
| 1966 | 21.1 °C |
| 1967 | 20.2 °C |
| 1968 | 21.6 °C |
| 1969 | 21.7 °C |
| 1970 | 22.2 °C |
| 1971 | 21.0 °C |
| 1972 | 20.5 °C |
| 1973 | 21.5 °C |
| 1975 | 21.0 °C |
| 1976 | 20.5 °C |
| 1977 | 21.7 °C |
| 1978 | 19.9 °C |
| 1980 | 21.1 °C |
| 1982 | 20.2 °C |
| 1984 | 19.5 °C |
| 1985 | 21.5 °C |
| 1986 | 21.6 °C |
| 1987 | 22.3 °C |
| 1988 | 21.7 °C |
| 1989 | 20.9 °C |
| 1990 | 21.2 °C |
| 1991 | 22.9 °C |
| 1992 | 20.9 °C |
| 1993 | 22.4 °C |
| 1994 | 21.7 °C |
| 1995 | 22.0 °C |
| 1996 | 21.7 °C |
| 1997 | 20.9 °C |
| 1998 | 22.6 °C |
| 1999 | 21.8 °C |
| 2000 | 21.4 °C |
| 2001 | 21.6 °C |
| 2002 | 23.0 °C |
| 2003 | 21.3 °C |
| 2004 | 22.2 °C |
| 2005 | 22.3 °C |
| 2006 | 21.9 °C |
| 2007 | 22.8 °C |
| 2008 | 21.7 °C |
| 2009 | 21.8 °C |
| 2010 | 23.9 °C |
| 2011 | 23.1 °C |
| 2012 | 22.2 °C |
| 2013 | 21.2 °C |
| 2014 | 21.8 °C |
| 2015 | 22.6 °C |
| 2017 | 22.6 °C |
| 2019 | 23.6 °C |
| 2020 | 21.5 °C |
| 2021 | 22.1 °C |
| 2022 | 22.3 °C |
| 2023 | 21.5 °C |
| 2024 | 22.7 °C |
| 2025 | 22.6 °C |
| 2026 | 23.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1891, Briar Chapel's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Chapel Hill 2 W (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.