Memphis, TN · zone 8a · ~240 frost-free days
When to plant in Memphis: frost dates and zone 8a.
In Memphis, the typical last spring frost lands around Mar 17 and the first fall frost around Nov 12, giving you about 240 frost-free days. Cool-season crops go out before the last frost; warm-season crops wait until after it.
The 2026 windows
Sow dates for Memphis, keyed to your frost.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring sow / set out | Fall sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato, slicing | Feb 10 to Apr 12 | Mar 24 to May 24 | — |
| Lettuce, leaf | — | Feb 7 to Mar 24 | Aug 29 to Oct 28 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 7 to Mar 12 | Aug 17 to Sep 12 |
| Bush Bean | — | Mar 17 to May 7 | Jul 29 to Aug 31 |
| Cucumber, slicing | — | Mar 24 to Jun 23 | Jul 12 to Aug 12 |
| Pepper, bell | Feb 19 to Apr 12 | Apr 2 to May 24 | — |
| Kale | Dec 27 to Jan 24 | Feb 7 to Mar 7 | Aug 12 to Sep 27 |
| Spinach | — | Jan 24 to Mar 7 | Aug 29 to Oct 17 |
Memphis sits in Zone 8a, but two gardens in the same city can be a week or two apart. The planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not the zone, so the dates land right for your block, not the metro average.
Build your Memphis garden plan.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for ZIP 38103 in about 60 seconds.
Memphis planting questions
What planting zone is Memphis, TN?+
Memphis is in USDA hardiness zone 8a. Growing zone, gardening zone, and planting zone all mean the same thing: the USDA number, 8a here. It tells you what survives winter, not when to plant. Frost dates set your planting time, and the free planner uses your exact ZIP code's frost dates, which can differ by weeks across one metro.
When is the last frost date in Memphis?+
The typical last spring frost in Memphis, TN is around Mar 17. That is an average from local history, not a guarantee, so tender crops like tomatoes and peppers are safer with a week of buffer after it.
When is the first frost date in Memphis?+
The typical first fall frost in Memphis, TN arrives around Nov 12, closing a growing season of roughly 240 frost-free days. Count backward from it to find the last date a fall crop can still finish.
What can I plant now in Memphis?+
It depends on the date. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, and spinach go out weeks before the last frost; warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers wait until after Mar 17. The table above shows each crop's window; the free planner turns your ZIP into an exact, dated calendar.