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Frost dates and planting calendar for Conway, South Carolina

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 15[2]
Median first fall frost
Nov 22[3]
Growing season, median
254 days[4]

Conway, South Carolina is in USDA hardiness zone 8b[1]. The median last spring frost at the Conway weather station is March 15[2].

Frost dates

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast spring frost: 9 in 10 years after Feb 21, half of years Mar 15, 1 in 10 years after Apr 1Last frostmedian Mar 15First fall frost: 9 in 10 years before Dec 18, half of years Nov 22, 1 in 10 years before Nov 5First frostmedian Nov 22Frost riskHardyHardy vegetables: plant Feb 15 to Mar 1Feb 15 to Mar 1Semi-hardySemi-hardy vegetables: plant Mar 1 to Mar 15Mar 1 to Mar 15TenderTender vegetables: plant around Mar 15around Mar 15Very tenderVery tender vegetables: plant from Mar 29from Mar 29
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.

NOAA frost dates for Conway come from the Conway weather station, using 22 years of records from 1991 to 2020[5]. In 9 of 10 years the last spring frost comes after February 21, and in 1 of 10 years it comes after April 1[2]. In half of years the first fall frost comes before November 22, and in 9 of 10 years it comes before December 18[3]. These are chances from past records, not a forecast, so any 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 21 after March 15 after April 1
First fall frost (32°F)[3] before November 5 before November 22 before December 18
  • Hard freeze (28°F): median last spring date February 28, median first fall date December 7[7].
  • Frost-free growing season: at least 226 days in 9 of 10 years, 254 days in half of years and 284 days in 1 of 10 years[4].
  • The low reached 32°F or colder in 100% of years and 28°F or colder in 99.8% of years[8].
  • Weather station: Conway (USC00381997), 0.4 miles from the city center, 20 feet, 22 years of 1991 to 2020 records[5].

When to plant vegetables

Colorado State University Extension wrote its planting guide for Colorado, so treat these dates as a starting point[6]. We took the median last frost, March 15, as the average last frost[6]. Hardy vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce and peas can go in as early as 2 to 4 weeks before it, which is February 15 to March 1[6]. Semi-hardy vegetables such as carrots and potatoes can go in as early as 2 weeks before it, which is March 1[9]. Tender vegetables such as snap beans and sweet corn are planted from seed around March 15[10]. Very tender vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers typically wait 2 or more weeks after it, so the earliest start is March 29[11].

  • Hardy (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips): as early as 2 to 4 weeks before the median last frost (March 15) is February 15 to March 1[6]
  • Semi-hardy (beets, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, potatoes, Swiss chard): as early as 2 weeks before the median last frost (March 15) is March 1, up to the median date itself[9]
  • Tender (snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash): from seed around the median last frost date, March 15[10]
  • Very tender (cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, winter squash, watermelon): the earliest start, two weeks after the median last frost (March 15), is March 29[11]
Vegetable (CSU group) Plant from First harvest around
Broccoli (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Apr 21 (from transplants)
Cabbage (hardy)[12] Feb 15 May 11 (from transplants)
Kohlrabi (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Apr 6
Lettuce (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Apr 16
Onions (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Jun 5
Peas (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Apr 21
Radishes (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Mar 17
Spinach (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Mar 27
Turnips (hardy)[12] Feb 15 Apr 6
Beets (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 Apr 30
Carrots (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 May 10
Cauliflower (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 not listed
Parsnips (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 May 10
Potatoes (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 Jul 4
Swiss chard (semi-hardy)[12] Mar 1 Apr 30
Snap beans (tender)[12] Mar 15 May 14
Sweet corn (tender)[12] Mar 15 May 14
Cucumbers (tender)[12] Mar 15 May 9
Summer squash (tender)[12] Mar 15 May 4
Cantaloupe (very tender)[12] Mar 29 Jun 22
Eggplant (very tender)[12] Mar 29 May 28 (from transplants)
Peppers (very tender)[12] Mar 29 Jun 7 (from transplants)
Tomatoes (very tender)[12] Mar 29 Jun 2 (from transplants)
Winter squash (very tender)[12] Mar 29 Jul 7
Watermelon (very tender)[12] Mar 29 Jun 22
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

The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts the center of Conway in zone 8b, which means an average coldest night of 15°F to 20°F over 1991 to 2020[1]. The zone is based on the coldest winter night, not on summer heat or frost dates[14]. Conway overlaps 2 ZIP code areas, and by land area 100% of the city lies in areas rated zone 8b[15].

Zone 8b: average annual extreme minimum temperature 15°F to 20°F (1991 to 2020)[1]. Modeled value at the city center: 17.9°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
29526[15] 8b 15 to 20°F
29527[15] 8b 15 to 20°F

Questions people ask

What growing zone is Conway, South Carolina?
The center of Conway is in USDA zone 8b on the 2023 map[1]. All of the city's land area lies in ZIP code areas rated 8b[15].
When is the last frost in Conway?
The median last spring frost is March 15, so in half of years the last frost comes after that date[2]. In 1 of 10 years it comes after April 1[2].
When is the first frost in Conway?
The median first fall frost is November 22[3]. In 1 of 10 years the first frost comes before November 5[3].
When to plant tomatoes in Conway?
CSU Extension groups tomatoes as very tender and typically says to wait 2 or more weeks after the average last frost[11]. Using the median last frost, the earliest start is March 29[11].
How long is the growing season in Conway?
In half of years the season between the last spring and first fall frost is at least 254 days[4]. In 9 of 10 years it is at least 226 days[4].

Facts and sources

  1. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts the center of Conway, South Carolina 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 17.9°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 21, in half of years after March 15, and in 1 of 10 years after April 1 (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals). The median last frost date is March 15. 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 5, in half of years before November 22, and in 9 of 10 years before December 18 (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals). The median first frost date is November 22. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  4. Growing season (days between the last spring and first fall 32°F frost) at this station: at least 226 days in 9 of 10 years, at least 254 days in half of years, and at least 284 days in 1 of 10 years. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  5. Frost dates on this page come from NOAA climate normals for the Conway weather station (USC00381997), 0.4 miles from the center of Conway at 20 feet, using 22 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 28 and the median first fall date is December 7. 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 99.8% of years. NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  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. Conway, South Carolina overlaps 2 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.