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Frost dates and planting calendar for Columbus, Georgia

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on USDA, NOAA and Colorado State University Extension data. Published by Humblebee.

USDA hardiness zone
8b[1]
Median last spring frost
Mar 5[2]
Median first fall frost
Nov 23[3]
Growing season, median
265 days[4]

Columbus, Georgia sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b[1]. The median last spring frost is March 5, which means a last frost after that date in half of years[2].

Frost dates

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast spring frost: 9 in 10 years after Feb 11, half of years Mar 5, 1 in 10 years after Mar 24Last frostmedian Mar 5First fall frost: 9 in 10 years before Dec 18, half of years Nov 23, 1 in 10 years before Nov 7First frostmedian Nov 23Frost riskHardyHardy vegetables: plant Feb 5 to Feb 19Feb 5 to Feb 19Semi-hardySemi-hardy vegetables: plant Feb 19 to Mar 5Feb 19 to Mar 5TenderTender vegetables: plant around Mar 5around Mar 5Very tenderVery tender vegetables: plant from Mar 19from Mar 19
Shaded: the span between the dates frost passes in 9 of 10 years and 1 of 10 years[2][3]. Green: planting windows from the CSU rules applied to the median last frost (GardenFacts calculation)[6]. Exact dates are in the tables below.

These frost dates are odds from 1991 to 2020 records, not a forecast. In 9 of 10 years the last spring frost comes after February 11, and in 1 of 10 years it comes after March 24[2]. In the fall, the first frost comes before November 23 in half of years, and before December 18 in 9 of 10 years[3]. The numbers come from the NOAA weather station at Columbus Metro Airport[5]. Any single year can be earlier or later.

Frost Likely (9 in 10 years) Even odds (5 in 10) Unlikely (1 in 10)
Last spring frost (32°F)[2] after February 11 after March 5 after March 24
First fall frost (32°F)[3] before November 7 before November 23 before December 18
  • Hard freeze (28°F): median last spring date February 21, median first fall date December 12[7].
  • Frost-free growing season: at least 238 days in 9 of 10 years, 265 days in half of years and 295 days in 1 of 10 years[4].
  • The low reached 32°F or colder in 100% of years and 28°F or colder in 98.6% of years[8].
  • Weather station: Columbus Metro Airport (USW00093842), 3.9 miles from the city center, 392 feet, 28 years of 1991 to 2020 records[5].

When to plant vegetables

Colorado State University Extension wrote its vegetable planting guide for Colorado, so treat these dates as a starting point[6]. We took the NOAA median last frost of March 5 as the average last frost[6]. Hardy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce and peas can go in as early as 2 to 4 weeks before it, which is February 5 to February 19[6]. Tender vegetables like snap beans and sweet corn can be planted from seed around March 5[9]. Very tender vegetables like tomatoes and peppers typically wait 2 or more weeks after it, so the earliest start is March 19[10].

  • Hardy (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips): as early as 2 to 4 weeks before the median last frost (March 5) is February 5 to February 19[6]
  • Semi-hardy (beets, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, potatoes, Swiss chard): as early as 2 weeks before the median last frost (March 5) is February 19, up to the median date itself[11]
  • Tender (snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash): from seed around the median last frost date, March 5[9]
  • Very tender (cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, winter squash, watermelon): the earliest start, two weeks after the median last frost (March 5), is March 19[10]
Vegetable (CSU group) Plant from First harvest around
Broccoli (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Apr 11 (from transplants)
Cabbage (hardy)[12] Feb 5 May 1 (from transplants)
Kohlrabi (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Mar 27
Lettuce (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Apr 6
Onions (hardy)[12] Feb 5 May 26
Peas (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Apr 11
Radishes (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Mar 7
Spinach (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Mar 17
Turnips (hardy)[12] Feb 5 Mar 27
Beets (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 Apr 20
Carrots (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 Apr 30
Cauliflower (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 not listed
Parsnips (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 Apr 30
Potatoes (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 Jun 24
Swiss chard (semi-hardy)[12] Feb 19 Apr 20
Snap beans (tender)[12] Mar 5 May 4
Sweet corn (tender)[12] Mar 5 May 4
Cucumbers (tender)[12] Mar 5 Apr 29
Summer squash (tender)[12] Mar 5 Apr 24
Cantaloupe (very tender)[12] Mar 19 Jun 12
Eggplant (very tender)[12] Mar 19 May 18 (from transplants)
Peppers (very tender)[12] Mar 19 May 28 (from transplants)
Tomatoes (very tender)[12] Mar 19 May 23 (from transplants)
Winter squash (very tender)[12] Mar 19 Jun 27
Watermelon (very tender)[12] Mar 19 Jun 12
Spacing, depth and soil temperature (CSU Extension)
Vegetable Min. soil temp Depth Spacing Days to harvest
Broccoli[13] 40°F 1/2 in 18 in 65
Cabbage[13] 40°F 1/2 in 18 in 85
Kohlrabi[13] 40°F 1/2 in 7-9 in 50
Lettuce[13] 35°F 1/4 in 7-9 in 60
Onions[13] 35°F 1/4 in (seed), 1-2 in (sets) 4-6 in 110
Peas[13] 40°F 1 in 4-6 in 65
Radishes[13] 40°F 1/2 in 2-3 in 30
Spinach[13] 40°F 1/2 in 4-6 in 40
Turnips[13] 40°F 1/2 in 4-6 in 50
Beets[13] 40°F 3/4-1 in 4-6 in 60
Carrots[13] 40°F 1/4 in 2-3 in 70
Cauliflower[13] 40°F 1/2 in 18 in –
Parsnips[13] 35°F 1/2 in 5-6 in 70
Potatoes[13] 45°F – – 125
Swiss chard[13] 40°F 1 in 7-9 in 60
Snap beans[13] 55°F 1-1 1/2 in 6 in 60
Sweet corn[13] 50°F 1-1 1/2 in 12 x 30 in or 9 x 36 in 60-90
Cucumbers[13] 60°F 1 in 6 in trellised, 24-36 in untrellised 55
Summer squash[13] 60°F 1-1 1/2 in 36-48 in 50
Cantaloupe[13] 60°F 1-1 1/2 in 36-48 in 85
Eggplant[13] 60°F 1/4 in 18-24 in 60
Peppers[13] 60°F 1/4 in 15-18 in 70
Tomatoes[13] 50°F 1/4 in 24 in trellised 65
Winter squash[13] 60°F 1-1 1/2 in 36-48 in 100
Watermelon[13] 60°F 1-1 1/2 in 36-48 in 85

Hardiness zone

Zone 8b means the coldest night of a typical winter falls between 15°F and 20°F, averaged over 1991 to 2020[1]. The zone is not about summer heat or frost dates[14]. All of Columbus lies in ZIP code areas rated zone 8b by land area[15].

Zone 8b: average annual extreme minimum temperature 15°F to 20°F (1991 to 2020)[1]. Modeled value at the city center: 17.5°F[1].

Share of the city's land area by ZIP code zone: zone 8b 100%[15].

All towns in zone 8b and what zone 8b means

Zone by ZIP code
ZIP code Zone Coldest night range
31904[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31820[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31907[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31909[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31905[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31808[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31829[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31903[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31906[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31901[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
31801[15] 8b 15 to 20°F

Questions people ask

What growing zone is Columbus, Georgia?
The center of Columbus is in USDA zone 8b on the 2023 map[1]. By land area, 100% of the city is in ZIP code areas rated 8b[15].
When is the last frost in Columbus, Georgia?
The median last spring frost is March 5, so in half of years the last frost comes after that date[2]. In 1 of 10 years it comes after March 24[2].
When is the first frost in Columbus, Georgia?
The median first fall frost is November 23, so in half of years the first frost comes before that date[3]. In 1 of 10 years it comes before November 7[3].
When to plant tomatoes in Columbus, Georgia?
CSU Extension typically starts tomatoes 2 or more weeks after the average last frost, which gives an earliest start of March 19 here[10]. CSU's guide was written for Colorado[10].
How long is the growing season in Columbus, Georgia?
The growing season is at least 265 days in half of years[4]. It is at least 238 days in 9 of 10 years[4].

Facts and sources

  1. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts the center of Columbus, Georgia in zone 8b. Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 15°F to 20°F over 1991 to 2020. The map's modeled value at the city center is 17.5°F. USDA zone map 2023 (PRISM, OSU)
  2. Last spring frost (32°F) at this station: in 9 of 10 years the last frost comes after February 11, in half of years after March 5, and in 1 of 10 years after March 24 (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals). The median last frost date is March 5. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  3. First fall frost (32°F) at this station: in 1 of 10 years the first frost comes before November 7, in half of years before November 23, and in 9 of 10 years before December 18 (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals). The median first frost date is November 23. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  4. Growing season (days between the last spring and first fall 32°F frost) at this station: at least 238 days in 9 of 10 years, at least 265 days in half of years, and at least 295 days in 1 of 10 years. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  5. Frost dates on this page come from NOAA climate normals for the Columbus Metro Airport weather station (USW00093842), 3.9 miles from the center of Columbus at 392 feet, using 28 years of records from 1991 to 2020. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  6. Colorado State University Extension's vegetable planting guide (written for Colorado) groups broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips as hardy vegetables, with this rule: as early as 2-4 weeks before the average last... CSU Extension GardenNotes #720
  7. Hard freeze (28°F) at this station: the median last spring date is February 21 and the median first fall date is December 12. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  8. At this station the low reached 32°F or colder in 100% of years from 1991 to 2020, and 28°F or colder in 98.6% of years. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  9. Colorado State University Extension's vegetable planting guide (written for Colorado) groups snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash as tender vegetables, with this rule: from seed around the average last spring frost; cucumber and summer squash... CSU Extension GardenNotes #720
  10. Colorado State University Extension's vegetable planting guide (written for Colorado) groups cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, winter squash, watermelon as very tender vegetables, with this rule: typically 2 or more weeks after the average last... CSU Extension GardenNotes #720
  11. Colorado State University Extension's vegetable planting guide (written for Colorado) groups beets, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, potatoes, Swiss chard as semi-hardy vegetables, with this rule: as early as 0-2 weeks before the average last spring frost.... CSU Extension GardenNotes #720
  12. GardenFacts calculation: earliest planting date plus CSU days to harvest (table on this page), from the station's median last frost. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  13. CSU Extension vegetable table: soil temperature, depth, spacing, days to harvest (table on this page). CSU Extension GardenNotes #720
  14. USDA hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature (the coldest night of each winter, averaged over 1991 to 2020 for the 2023 map), not on summer heat or frost dates. Each zone spans 10°F and each half zone (a or b)... USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
  15. Columbus, Georgia overlaps 11 ZIP code areas. By land area, 100% lies in ZIP code areas rated zone 8b. USDA zone map 2023 (PRISM, OSU)

Frost dates are probabilities from 1991 to 2020 weather records at one NOAA station, not a forecast. Any year can be earlier or later. The hardiness zone describes the average coldest winter night, not frost dates or summer heat. Spots inside the city can differ (ZIP table). Planting rules come from Colorado State University Extension's guide, written for Colorado. A local extension office may give dates tuned to the area. Planting and harvest dates marked GardenFacts calculation are simple arithmetic from the facts above, not advice from the source.

Hardiness zone data: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023), USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed October 30, 2026. This is not the official USDA map. Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020. Planting rules: Colorado State University Extension.