§ When to plant · Alabama · Checked Sept 2026

When to plant vegetables in Alabama

In Huntsville, tender crops like tomatoes and peppers can go out around April 17, and frost has historically passed 9 years in 10 by April 30. Cool-season crops go in from January, and again from July for fall.

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§ 010 · Frost dates

Frost dates across Alabama

Based on NOAA's 1991–2020 station records, with adjustments for tender crops.

City · NOAA station	Last frost, on average	Plant tender crops from	Frost is over, 9 of 10 years by	Fall frost possible from
AlabasterHELENA · 3 km	Mar 19	Apr 5April 5	Apr 21	Oct 26
AthensATHENS · 0 km	Mar 20	Apr 4April 4	Apr 19	Nov 1
AuburnAUBURN NO.2 · 2 km	Mar 13	Mar 30March 30	Apr 16	Nov 1
BirminghamBIRMINGHAM AIRPORT · 6 km	Mar 21	Apr 5April 5	Apr 20	Oct 30
DaphneFAIRHOPE 3 NORTHEAST · 9 km	Mar 15	Mar 31March 31	Apr 15	Nov 2
DecaturDECATUR 4SE · 5 km	Mar 26	Apr 9April 9	Apr 22	Oct 26
DothanDOTHAN REGIONAL AIRPORT · 11 km	Mar 1	Mar 17March 17	Apr 1	Nov 7
FlorenceMUSCLE SHOALS 2 N · 7 km	Mar 27	Apr 11April 11	Apr 25	Oct 22
GadsdenGADSDEN · 3 km	Mar 19	Apr 5April 5	Apr 21	Nov 1
HooverHELENA · 12 km	Mar 19	Apr 5April 5	Apr 21	Oct 26
HuntsvilleOWENS CROSS ROADS 3S · 27 km	Apr 4	Apr 17April 17	Apr 30	Oct 17
MadisonHUNTSVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT · 8 km	Mar 24	Apr 6April 6	Apr 19	Oct 27
MobileMOBILE DWTN AIRPORT · 6 km	Feb 21	Mar 9March 9	Mar 25	Nov 15
MontgomeryMONTGOMERY 6SW · 11 km	Mar 4	Mar 21March 21	Apr 7	Nov 1
NorthportNORTHPORT 2 S · 5 km	Mar 18	Apr 2April 2	Apr 17	Oct 29
OpelikaOPELIKA · 7 km	Mar 29	Apr 12April 12	Apr 25	Oct 22
Phenix CityCOLUMBUS METRO AIRPORT · 10 km	Mar 5	Mar 22March 22	Apr 7	Nov 7
PrattvilleMONTGOMERY AIRPORT · 17 km	Mar 13	Mar 30March 30	Apr 16	Oct 31
TuscaloosaNORTHPORT 2 S · 6 km	Mar 18	Apr 2April 2	Apr 17	Oct 29
Vestavia HillsBIRMINGHAM AIRPORT · 11 km	Mar 21	Apr 5April 5	Apr 20	Oct 30

Alabama's 20 largest cities (U.S. Census Bureau 2025 estimates), A to Z, each with its nearest NOAA station and the distance to it. Search any town to get its nearest station. "Plant tender crops from" is halfway between the average last frost and the date frost is over 9 years in 10; if frost is in the forecast after it, wait until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

§ 020 · What to plant

What to plant in Alabama, and when

Planting windows from Alabama's Cooperative Extension Service. Filter by season or crop group; every view has its own link.

Season

Crops

Link to this view getezina.com/when-to-plant/alabama/

Dark green: fall planting window
Light green: spring and summer planting window
TenderKilled by frost: spring planting from the "plant tender crops from" date for your city

Greens & cabbages
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chinese cabbage
Collards
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Spinach
Swiss chard
Roots & bulbs
Beets
Carrots
Green onions
Onions
Potatoes
Radishes
Rutabagas
Sweet potatoesTender
Turnips
Fruiting
CantaloupeTender
CucumbersTender
EggplantTender
Green beansTender
Lima beansTender
OkraTender
Peas
PeppersTender
PumpkinsTender
Southern peasTender
Summer squashTender
Sweet cornTender
TomatoesTender
WatermelonTender
Winter squashTender
Perennials
Asparagus

§ 030 · Crop by crop

Planting in Alabama

Each crop has its own link, like #tomatoes. Tender crops wait for the frost dates above; succession crops are sown again every few weeks for a steady harvest.

Dark green: fall planting window
Light green: spring and summer planting window

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

Perennial

Set out transplants April.

Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University), Planting Guide for Home Gardening in Alabama (Alabama Vegetable Garden Planting Chart). Days to harvest: Ezina crop catalog, from state extension guides.

Beets

Beta vulgaris

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Beets — Photo by W.carter / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February, and again August.

Ready in about 58 days; sow again every 6 weeks.

Broccoli

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Broccoli — Photo by Kolforn / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant August.

Ready in about 95 days from seed, 65 from transplants.

Brussels sprouts

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Brussels sprouts — Photo by Nick Saltmarsh / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant August to September.

Ready in about 130 days from seed, 100 from transplants.

Cabbage

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Cabbage — Photo by Biswarup Ganguly / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants January to February; Plant July to August.

Ready in about 110 days from seed, 80 from transplants.

Cantaloupe

Cucumis melo

Tender

Cantaloupe — Photo by Seth Vidal / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April.

Ready in about 80 days from seed, 70 from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Carrots

Daucus carota

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Carrots — Photo by Evan-Amos / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Plant March, and again July to September.

Ready in about 70 days; sow again every 7 weeks.

Cauliflower

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Cauliflower — Photo by Coyau / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants January to February; Plant July to August.

Ready in about 95 days from seed, 68 from transplants.

Chinese cabbage

Brassica rapa

Cool season

Chinese cabbage — Photo by Drab Makyo / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant August.

Ready in about 75 days from seed, 60 from transplants.

Collards

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Collards — Photo by شارق کشمیری / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant July to September.

Ready in about 65 days from seed, 55 from transplants.

Cucumbers

Cucumis sativus

TenderSuccession sow

Cucumbers — Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA ARS / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April to May, and again July.

Ready in about 58 days from seed, 50 from transplants; sow again every 7 weeks. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Eggplant

Solanum melongena

Tender

Eggplant — Photo by Billjones94 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants April to May, and again July.

Ready in about 75 days from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Green beans

Phaseolus vulgaris

TenderSuccession sow

Green beans — Photo by Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April, and again July to August, and again August.

Ready in about 55 days; sow again every 5 weeks. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Green onions

Allium fistulosum

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Green onions — Photo by Evan-Amos / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Plant October to February.

Ready in about 65 days from seed, 50 from transplants; sow again every 6 weeks.

Kale

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Kale — Photo by Rasbak / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant August to September.

Ready in about 60 days from seed, 45 from transplants.

Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea

Cool season

Kohlrabi — Photo by Unknown author / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant March, and again August to September.

Ready in about 55 days from seed, 45 from transplants.

Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Lettuce — Photo by Geo Lightspeed7 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants January to February; Plant August to September.

Ready in about 65 days from seed, 50 from transplants; sow again every 6 weeks.

Lima beans

Phaseolus lunatus

Tender

Lima beans — Photo by Jud McCranie / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April to May, and again July to August.

Ready in about 75 days. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Mustard greens

Brassica juncea

Cool season

Mustard greens — Photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February to March, and again August to September.

Ready in about 45 days.

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Tender

Okra — Photo by Pedro Acevedo-Rodriguez / CC0 / Smithsonian Open Access / via USDA PLANTS

Plant April to June.

Ready in about 55 days from seed, 45 from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Onions

Allium cepa

Cool season

Onions — Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA ARS / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants January to March; Plant September to October.

Ready in about 110 days from seed, 95 from transplants.

Peas

Pisum sativum

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Peas — Photo by David Adam Kess / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February.

Ready in about 65 days; sow again every 5 weeks.

Peppers

Capsicum annuum

Tender

Peppers — Photo by Kham Tran - www.khamtran.com / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants April to May, and again July.

Ready in about 70 days from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Potatoes

Solanum tuberosum

Cool season

Potatoes — Photo by Howard, R.A / Public domain / Smithsonian Institution, Richard A. Howard Photograph Collection / via USDA PLANTS

Plant February, and again August.

Ready in about 100 days.

Pumpkins

Cucurbita pepo

Tender

Pumpkins — Photo by HalfGig / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant July.

Ready in about 110 days from seed, 95 from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Radishes

Raphanus sativus

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Radishes — Photo by Rasbak / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February to April, and again September to October.

Ready in about 28 days; sow again every 3 weeks.

Rutabagas

Brassica napus

Cool season

Rutabagas — Photo by Seedambassadors / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant July.

Ready in about 95 days.

Southern peas

Vigna unguiculata

Tender

Southern peas — Photo by Jud McCranie / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April to July.

Ready in about 65 days. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Spinach

Spinacia oleracea

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Spinach — Photo by Victor M. Vicente Selvas / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February to March, and again September.

Ready in about 42 days; sow again every 5 weeks.

Summer squash

Cucurbita pepo

TenderSuccession sow

Summer squash — Photo by INRA DIST from France / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April, and again August.

Ready in about 50 days from seed, 40 from transplants; sow again every 7 weeks. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Sweet corn

Zea mays

TenderSuccession sow

Sweet corn — Photo by Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 2.5 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant March to June.

Ready in about 78 days; sow again every 6 weeks. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Sweet potatoes

Ipomoea batatas

Tender

Sweet potatoes — Photo by Howard, R.A / Public domain / Smithsonian Institution, Richard A. Howard Photograph Collection / via USDA PLANTS

Set out transplants April to June.

Ready in about 100 days from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Swiss chard

Beta vulgaris

Cool season

Swiss chard — Photo by Neelix / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February to March, and again September.

Ready in about 55 days from seed, 40 from transplants.

Tomatoes

Solanum lycopersicum

Tender

Tomatoes — Photo by Michal Klajban / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Set out transplants April, and again July.

Ready in about 75 days from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Turnips

Brassica rapa

Cool seasonSuccession sow

Turnips — Photo by thebittenword.com / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant February to April, and again August to October.

Ready in about 50 days; sow again every 5 weeks.

Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

Tender

Watermelon — Photo by F ASTILY / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Plant April, and again June.

Ready in about 85 days from seed, 75 from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

Winter squash

Cucurbita moschata

Tender

Winter squash — Photo by Howard, R.A / Public domain / Smithsonian Institution, Richard A. Howard Photograph Collection / via USDA PLANTS

Plant April, and again July to August.

Ready in about 95 days from seed, 80 from transplants. Tender: in spring, from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, hold off until it passes and nights stay above 36°F.

§ 040 · Questions

Questions about planting in Alabama

When is the last frost in Alabama?

On average from about February 21 in Mobile to April 4 in Huntsville. Frost is over 9 years in 10 by March 25 to April 30.

When can I plant tomatoes in Alabama?

The extension service lists April. Tomatoes are frost-tender, so Ezina dates them from about April 17 in Huntsville. If frost is in the forecast, wait until it passes.

What can I plant in Alabama in October?

The extension calendar lists green onions, onions, radishes, turnips for October.

Is it too late for a fall garden?

The latest fall windows on the calendar close in October. Filter by Fall above to see what is still open.

Why not use my USDA zone?

A zone is the coldest winter night, not a frost date. These dates come from NOAA station records and the extension service.

Can Ezina date plantings for my address?

Yes. Run Ezina Dig on your address and your bed plans are dated from that site's own frost records, on iPhone and Android in the contiguous U.S.

Changes

29 Sept 2026: page published.

Sources

Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University): Planting Guide for Home Gardening in Alabama (Alabama Vegetable Garden Planting Chart).

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station freeze probabilities. U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates and 2020 place gazetteer. Days to harvest and re-sowing intervals: Ezina's crop catalog, compiled from state Cooperative Extension guides. Photos: Wikimedia Commons and USDA PLANTS, credited under each photo. Checked Sept 2026.