When to plant in South Henderson, NC
Planting dates worked out from South Henderson's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 26
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 17
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 24
1 year in 10 by Oct 9
Frost-free days
190
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Henderson 2 Nnw · 4.5 km away · station 146 m, town 154 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 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 20 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 25 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 29 |
| Peas | — | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | Apr 30 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 8 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 27 – May 8 | May 26 |
| Beet | — | Mar 20 – May 1 | May 9 |
| Potato | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jun 5 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 2 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | May 19 |
| Cucumber | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 15 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 10 |
| Winter squash | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jul 15 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 18 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Jun 18 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 10 – Nov 7 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | Apr 13 |
| Basil | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 22 |
South Henderson'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 |
|---|---|
| 1894 | Apr 3 |
| 1895 | Apr 4 |
| 1896 | Apr 8 |
| 1897 | Apr 21 |
| 1898 | Apr 7 |
| 1899 | Apr 5 |
| 1900 | Apr 5 |
| 1901 | Mar 22 |
| 1902 | Apr 2 |
| 1903 | Apr 5 |
| 1904 | Apr 17 |
| 1905 | Apr 17 |
| 1906 | Apr 1 |
| 1907 | Apr 15 |
| 1908 | Apr 4 |
| 1909 | Apr 11 |
| 1910 | Mar 16 |
| 1911 | Apr 11 |
| 1912 | Mar 26 |
| 1913 | Mar 29 |
| 1914 | Apr 10 |
| 1915 | Apr 5 |
| 1916 | Apr 10 |
| 1917 | Apr 14 |
| 1918 | Apr 12 |
| 1919 | Apr 3 |
| 1920 | Apr 14 |
| 1921 | Mar 30 |
| 1922 | Mar 23 |
| 1923 | Apr 2 |
| 1924 | Apr 3 |
| 1925 | Mar 30 |
| 1926 | Apr 20 |
| 1927 | Apr 12 |
| 1928 | Apr 17 |
| 1929 | Apr 19 |
| 1930 | Apr 25 |
| 1931 | Apr 28 |
| 1932 | Apr 28 |
| 1933 | Apr 27 |
| 1936 | Apr 20 |
| 1937 | Apr 13 |
| 1938 | Apr 11 |
| 1939 | May 2 |
| 1940 | Apr 14 |
| 1941 | Mar 31 |
| 1942 | Apr 13 |
| 1943 | Apr 16 |
| 1944 | Apr 29 |
| 1945 | Apr 7 |
| 1946 | Apr 18 |
| 1947 | May 11 |
| 1948 | Apr 10 |
| 1949 | Apr 17 |
| 1950 | Apr 22 |
| 1951 | Apr 6 |
| 1952 | Apr 8 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | Apr 4 |
| 1955 | Apr 8 |
| 1956 | May 9 |
| 1957 | Apr 16 |
| 1958 | Apr 13 |
| 1959 | Apr 5 |
| 1960 | Apr 11 |
| 1961 | Apr 30 |
| 1962 | Apr 18 |
| 1963 | May 2 |
| 1964 | Apr 10 |
| 1965 | Apr 3 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | Apr 19 |
| 1972 | Apr 27 |
| 1973 | Apr 29 |
| 1974 | Apr 13 |
| 1976 | May 9 |
| 1977 | May 11 |
| 1978 | Apr 23 |
| 1979 | Apr 20 |
| 1980 | May 11 |
| 1981 | Apr 26 |
| 1982 | Apr 30 |
| 1983 | Apr 22 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | May 10 |
| 1989 | Apr 14 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | Apr 11 |
| 1997 | Apr 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 12 |
| 1999 | Apr 14 |
| 2000 | Apr 1 |
| 2001 | Apr 26 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2005 | Apr 18 |
| 2006 | Apr 11 |
| 2007 | Apr 24 |
| 2008 | Apr 17 |
| 2009 | Apr 18 |
| 2010 | Apr 19 |
| 2011 | Apr 7 |
| 2012 | Apr 14 |
| 2013 | Apr 7 |
| 2014 | Apr 18 |
| 2015 | Apr 24 |
| 2017 | Apr 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 21 |
| 2021 | Apr 26 |
| 2022 | Apr 21 |
| 2023 | Mar 30 |
| 2024 | Mar 31 |
| 2026 | Apr 22 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1894 | 217 |
| 1895 | 188 |
| 1896 | 219 |
| 1897 | 204 |
| 1898 | 203 |
| 1899 | 221 |
| 1900 | 217 |
| 1901 | 229 |
| 1902 | 239 |
| 1903 | 196 |
| 1904 | 193 |
| 1905 | 200 |
| 1906 | 192 |
| 1907 | 189 |
| 1908 | 210 |
| 1909 | 200 |
| 1910 | 226 |
| 1911 | 205 |
| 1912 | 221 |
| 1913 | 206 |
| 1914 | 200 |
| 1915 | 224 |
| 1916 | 218 |
| 1917 | 189 |
| 1918 | 204 |
| 1919 | 216 |
| 1920 | 212 |
| 1921 | 254 |
| 1922 | 243 |
| 1923 | 212 |
| 1925 | 194 |
| 1926 | 188 |
| 1927 | 206 |
| 1930 | 176 |
| 1931 | 172 |
| 1932 | 183 |
| 1936 | 190 |
| 1937 | 184 |
| 1938 | 179 |
| 1939 | 166 |
| 1940 | 187 |
| 1941 | 221 |
| 1942 | 196 |
| 1943 | 184 |
| 1944 | 169 |
| 1946 | 208 |
| 1947 | 143 |
| 1948 | 191 |
| 1949 | 202 |
| 1950 | 197 |
| 1951 | 211 |
| 1952 | 195 |
| 1953 | 197 |
| 1954 | 200 |
| 1955 | 199 |
| 1956 | 184 |
| 1957 | 180 |
| 1958 | 199 |
| 1959 | 211 |
| 1960 | 196 |
| 1961 | 179 |
| 1962 | 188 |
| 1963 | 180 |
| 1964 | 183 |
| 1970 | 162 |
| 1971 | 198 |
| 1972 | 175 |
| 1973 | 171 |
| 1974 | 172 |
| 1976 | 155 |
| 1977 | 159 |
| 1978 | 168 |
| 1979 | 176 |
| 1980 | 154 |
| 1983 | 186 |
| 1984 | 173 |
| 1985 | 212 |
| 1986 | 161 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1995 | 183 |
| 1997 | 190 |
| 1998 | 193 |
| 1999 | 192 |
| 2000 | 190 |
| 2005 | 191 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 2007 | 187 |
| 2008 | 185 |
| 2009 | 183 |
| 2011 | 205 |
| 2012 | 201 |
| 2013 | 199 |
| 2014 | 198 |
| 2017 | 215 |
| 2018 | 183 |
| 2021 | 193 |
| 2022 | 180 |
| 2023 | 206 |
| 2024 | 197 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1894 | 22.3 °C |
| 1895 | 22.1 °C |
| 1896 | 23.2 °C |
| 1897 | 21.9 °C |
| 1898 | 21.6 °C |
| 1899 | 21.6 °C |
| 1900 | 22.5 °C |
| 1901 | 21.3 °C |
| 1902 | 21.7 °C |
| 1903 | 21.3 °C |
| 1904 | 20.5 °C |
| 1905 | 21.8 °C |
| 1906 | 22.0 °C |
| 1907 | 19.4 °C |
| 1908 | 21.0 °C |
| 1909 | 20.7 °C |
| 1910 | 21.1 °C |
| 1911 | 22.2 °C |
| 1912 | 22.2 °C |
| 1913 | 21.7 °C |
| 1914 | 21.6 °C |
| 1915 | 21.9 °C |
| 1916 | 22.0 °C |
| 1917 | 21.2 °C |
| 1918 | 21.4 °C |
| 1919 | 22.1 °C |
| 1920 | 21.5 °C |
| 1921 | 23.3 °C |
| 1922 | 22.8 °C |
| 1923 | 22.4 °C |
| 1925 | 22.8 °C |
| 1926 | 22.4 °C |
| 1927 | 21.3 °C |
| 1929 | 21.1 °C |
| 1930 | 22.2 °C |
| 1931 | 21.8 °C |
| 1932 | 21.5 °C |
| 1933 | 22.2 °C |
| 1936 | 21.9 °C |
| 1937 | 21.5 °C |
| 1938 | 21.5 °C |
| 1939 | 21.6 °C |
| 1940 | 21.4 °C |
| 1941 | 22.6 °C |
| 1942 | 22.4 °C |
| 1943 | 22.5 °C |
| 1944 | 22.4 °C |
| 1945 | 22.3 °C |
| 1946 | 21.4 °C |
| 1947 | 22.1 °C |
| 1948 | 22.4 °C |
| 1949 | 21.8 °C |
| 1950 | 21.1 °C |
| 1951 | 21.6 °C |
| 1952 | 22.5 °C |
| 1953 | 22.9 °C |
| 1954 | 22.3 °C |
| 1955 | 22.4 °C |
| 1956 | 21.8 °C |
| 1957 | 22.7 °C |
| 1958 | 21.7 °C |
| 1959 | 22.6 °C |
| 1960 | 22.1 °C |
| 1961 | 21.1 °C |
| 1962 | 21.3 °C |
| 1963 | 21.3 °C |
| 1964 | 21.7 °C |
| 1965 | 21.9 °C |
| 1966 | 21.2 °C |
| 1970 | 21.3 °C |
| 1971 | 20.1 °C |
| 1972 | 19.7 °C |
| 1973 | 20.8 °C |
| 1974 | 20.3 °C |
| 1976 | 20.1 °C |
| 1977 | 21.6 °C |
| 1978 | 20.9 °C |
| 1979 | 20.2 °C |
| 1980 | 21.6 °C |
| 1982 | 20.9 °C |
| 1983 | 21.3 °C |
| 1984 | 20.8 °C |
| 1986 | 21.8 °C |
| 1988 | 20.8 °C |
| 1993 | 21.7 °C |
| 1995 | 21.1 °C |
| 1997 | 19.7 °C |
| 1998 | 21.6 °C |
| 1999 | 21.3 °C |
| 2000 | 20.7 °C |
| 2001 | 20.4 °C |
| 2002 | 21.6 °C |
| 2003 | 20.9 °C |
| 2005 | 21.3 °C |
| 2006 | 20.9 °C |
| 2007 | 21.4 °C |
| 2008 | 20.8 °C |
| 2009 | 21.1 °C |
| 2010 | 22.5 °C |
| 2011 | 22.2 °C |
| 2012 | 21.0 °C |
| 2013 | 20.7 °C |
| 2014 | 20.8 °C |
| 2016 | 22.1 °C |
| 2017 | 21.9 °C |
| 2018 | 22.4 °C |
| 2021 | 22.1 °C |
| 2022 | 22.3 °C |
| 2023 | 21.3 °C |
| 2024 | 22.0 °C |
| 2026 | 21.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1894, South Henderson's last spring frost has come about 1 day later per decade, on average. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Henderson 2 Nnw (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.