When to plant in Kingsport, TN
Planting dates worked out from Kingsport's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 20
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 8
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 27
1 year in 10 by Oct 17
Frost-free days
204
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Kingsport · 4.5 km away · station 391 m, town 369 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 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 14 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 19 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 4 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Apr 20 |
| Peas | — | Feb 25 – Mar 25 | Apr 21 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 13 – May 4 | Jun 2 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | May 17 |
| Beet | — | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Apr 30 |
| Potato | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | May 27 |
| Kale | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Apr 23 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | May 10 |
| Cucumber | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 9 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 4 |
| Winter squash | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jul 9 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 13 – May 4 | Jun 12 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Jun 9 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 13 – Nov 10 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Feb 25 – Mar 25 | Apr 4 |
| Basil | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 16 |
Kingsport'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 |
|---|---|
| 1926 | Apr 27 |
| 1927 | Apr 23 |
| 1928 | Apr 28 |
| 1931 | Mar 18 |
| 1932 | Apr 28 |
| 1933 | Apr 13 |
| 1934 | Apr 28 |
| 1945 | Apr 7 |
| 1946 | Apr 12 |
| 1947 | May 8 |
| 1948 | Apr 3 |
| 1949 | Apr 20 |
| 1950 | Apr 22 |
| 1951 | Apr 18 |
| 1952 | Apr 17 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | May 5 |
| 1955 | Apr 8 |
| 1956 | Apr 21 |
| 1957 | Apr 15 |
| 1958 | Apr 13 |
| 1959 | Apr 15 |
| 1960 | Apr 12 |
| 1961 | Apr 20 |
| 1962 | Apr 22 |
| 1963 | May 2 |
| 1964 | Apr 10 |
| 1965 | Apr 3 |
| 1966 | Apr 10 |
| 1967 | Apr 28 |
| 1968 | Apr 16 |
| 1969 | Apr 2 |
| 1970 | Apr 8 |
| 1971 | May 4 |
| 1972 | Apr 26 |
| 1973 | Apr 14 |
| 1974 | Apr 10 |
| 1975 | Apr 13 |
| 1976 | Apr 27 |
| 1977 | Apr 9 |
| 1979 | Mar 28 |
| 1980 | Apr 17 |
| 1981 | Apr 8 |
| 1982 | Apr 24 |
| 1983 | Apr 21 |
| 1984 | Apr 19 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | Apr 24 |
| 1987 | Apr 5 |
| 1988 | Apr 20 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 18 |
| 1991 | Mar 31 |
| 1992 | Apr 6 |
| 1993 | Apr 23 |
| 1995 | Mar 26 |
| 1996 | Apr 11 |
| 1997 | Apr 15 |
| 1998 | Mar 23 |
| 1999 | Mar 29 |
| 2000 | Apr 11 |
| 2001 | Apr 20 |
| 2002 | Apr 8 |
| 2003 | Apr 1 |
| 2004 | Apr 7 |
| 2005 | Apr 25 |
| 2007 | Apr 11 |
| 2008 | Apr 17 |
| 2009 | Mar 23 |
| 2010 | Mar 28 |
| 2012 | Apr 13 |
| 2014 | Apr 16 |
| 2015 | Apr 5 |
| 2016 | Apr 10 |
| 2017 | Mar 23 |
| 2018 | Apr 20 |
| 2019 | Apr 3 |
| 2020 | Apr 11 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 10 |
| 2023 | Mar 30 |
| 2024 | Apr 7 |
| 2025 | Apr 13 |
| 2026 | Mar 29 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1926 | 181 |
| 1927 | 196 |
| 1928 | 180 |
| 1931 | 213 |
| 1932 | 161 |
| 1933 | 178 |
| 1934 | 168 |
| 1945 | 185 |
| 1946 | 171 |
| 1947 | 144 |
| 1948 | 197 |
| 1949 | 197 |
| 1950 | 197 |
| 1951 | 176 |
| 1952 | 169 |
| 1953 | 191 |
| 1954 | 164 |
| 1955 | 199 |
| 1956 | 202 |
| 1957 | 187 |
| 1958 | 181 |
| 1959 | 201 |
| 1960 | 191 |
| 1961 | 189 |
| 1962 | 184 |
| 1963 | 180 |
| 1964 | 179 |
| 1965 | 204 |
| 1966 | 193 |
| 1967 | 174 |
| 1968 | 171 |
| 1969 | 198 |
| 1970 | 191 |
| 1971 | 184 |
| 1972 | 176 |
| 1973 | 205 |
| 1974 | 175 |
| 1975 | 200 |
| 1976 | 173 |
| 1977 | 191 |
| 1979 | 199 |
| 1980 | 178 |
| 1981 | 194 |
| 1982 | 185 |
| 1983 | 197 |
| 1984 | 201 |
| 1985 | 211 |
| 1986 | 202 |
| 1987 | 186 |
| 1988 | 175 |
| 1989 | 179 |
| 1991 | 216 |
| 1992 | 196 |
| 1993 | 188 |
| 1995 | 209 |
| 1996 | 176 |
| 1997 | 190 |
| 1998 | 213 |
| 1999 | 210 |
| 2000 | 179 |
| 2001 | 180 |
| 2002 | 207 |
| 2003 | 226 |
| 2004 | 215 |
| 2005 | 184 |
| 2007 | 201 |
| 2009 | 209 |
| 2010 | 222 |
| 2012 | 203 |
| 2014 | 199 |
| 2015 | 195 |
| 2016 | 214 |
| 2017 | 220 |
| 2018 | 197 |
| 2019 | 212 |
| 2020 | 204 |
| 2021 | 195 |
| 2022 | 192 |
| 2023 | 215 |
| 2024 | 227 |
| 2025 | 201 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1926 | 21.5 °C |
| 1927 | 21.0 °C |
| 1928 | 20.0 °C |
| 1931 | 21.4 °C |
| 1932 | 20.5 °C |
| 1933 | 21.3 °C |
| 1934 | 23.2 °C |
| 1945 | 20.7 °C |
| 1946 | 20.6 °C |
| 1947 | 20.7 °C |
| 1948 | 20.9 °C |
| 1949 | 20.4 °C |
| 1950 | 19.8 °C |
| 1951 | 20.2 °C |
| 1952 | 21.0 °C |
| 1953 | 21.3 °C |
| 1954 | 21.3 °C |
| 1955 | 21.5 °C |
| 1956 | 20.2 °C |
| 1957 | 21.6 °C |
| 1958 | 20.8 °C |
| 1959 | 21.5 °C |
| 1960 | 20.6 °C |
| 1961 | 19.4 °C |
| 1962 | 20.7 °C |
| 1963 | 20.2 °C |
| 1964 | 21.1 °C |
| 1965 | 21.3 °C |
| 1966 | 20.2 °C |
| 1967 | 19.7 °C |
| 1968 | 20.6 °C |
| 1969 | 21.0 °C |
| 1970 | 21.6 °C |
| 1971 | 20.6 °C |
| 1972 | 20.4 °C |
| 1973 | 21.0 °C |
| 1974 | 20.3 °C |
| 1975 | 21.2 °C |
| 1976 | 20.1 °C |
| 1977 | 22.0 °C |
| 1979 | 20.5 °C |
| 1980 | 21.6 °C |
| 1981 | 20.9 °C |
| 1982 | 20.5 °C |
| 1983 | 20.4 °C |
| 1984 | 20.3 °C |
| 1985 | 20.9 °C |
| 1986 | 21.8 °C |
| 1987 | 21.6 °C |
| 1988 | 21.1 °C |
| 1989 | 20.3 °C |
| 1991 | 21.9 °C |
| 1992 | 20.2 °C |
| 1993 | 21.5 °C |
| 1995 | 21.7 °C |
| 1996 | 20.7 °C |
| 1997 | 19.8 °C |
| 1998 | 21.1 °C |
| 1999 | 21.0 °C |
| 2000 | 20.7 °C |
| 2001 | 20.4 °C |
| 2002 | 21.6 °C |
| 2003 | 20.3 °C |
| 2004 | 20.7 °C |
| 2005 | 21.0 °C |
| 2006 | 20.5 °C |
| 2007 | 21.2 °C |
| 2008 | 21.0 °C |
| 2009 | 20.7 °C |
| 2010 | 22.3 °C |
| 2012 | 21.5 °C |
| 2014 | 21.1 °C |
| 2015 | 21.9 °C |
| 2016 | 22.3 °C |
| 2017 | 21.3 °C |
| 2018 | 21.9 °C |
| 2019 | 22.1 °C |
| 2020 | 20.6 °C |
| 2021 | 20.8 °C |
| 2022 | 20.9 °C |
| 2023 | 20.0 °C |
| 2024 | 21.6 °C |
| 2025 | 21.4 °C |
| 2026 | 21.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1926, Kingsport's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Kingsport (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.