Frost Dates & Planting Calendar for Ozark, AL

The average first fall frost in Ozark, AL is November 24, and the average last spring frost is March 1, giving a growing season of about 270 days.

Plan your garden around Ozark, AL's typical frost-free growing season, using NOAA climate normals and a 42-crop planting calendar built for this location.

Last Spring Frost

March 1

Safe Mar 21 Typical Mar 1 Risky Feb 3

First Fall Frost

November 24

Safe Nov 7 Typical Nov 24 Risky Dec 24

Growing Season

270 days

Typical last frost to typical first frost.

USDA Hardiness Zone

Zone 8b

Mild winters and a long growing season, room for both cool- and warm-season crops.

Data: NOAA station DOTHAN RGNL AP, AL US, 23.7 km away.

— days until the typical last spring frost

How Ozark Compares

Ozark's typical last spring frost (Mar 1) comes earlier than in 90% of the 72 Alabama cities we track.
Its 270-day growing season is 34 days longer than the Alabama median of 236 days.
Compared with Enterprise (26 km away), Ozark's last spring frost comes 8 days earlier than Enterprise's, and its first fall frost arrives 3 days later.
July is the warmest month (average high 93°F) and January the coldest (average low 40°F).

Monthly Temperatures

Avg. high Avg. temp Avg. low

Planting Calendar

Vegetables
Crop	Start indoors	Direct sow	Transplant	Fall planting	Maturity	Notes
Tomato	Jan 4 – Jan 18	—	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	60–85 days	Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost; transplant out 1-2 weeks after last frost once soil has warmed.
Pepper	Dec 21 – Jan 4	—	Mar 8 – Mar 22	—	60–90 days	Slow to germinate; start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Transplant only once nights stay above 55F, 1-3 weeks after last frost.
Eggplant	Dec 21 – Jan 4	—	Mar 15 – Mar 22	—	65–85 days	Warm-season crop, similar timing to pepper; needs consistently warm soil (65F+) to transplant.
Cucumber	Feb 1 – Feb 8	Mar 8 – Mar 15	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	50–65 days	Can be started indoors 3-4 weeks before transplanting, or direct-sown 1-2 weeks after last frost once soil is warm.
Zucchini	Feb 8 – Feb 15	Mar 8 – Mar 22	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	45–55 days	Fast-growing squash; direct sow 1-3 weeks after last frost, or start indoors 2-3 weeks early for a head start.
Winter Squash	Feb 1 – Feb 8	Mar 8 – Mar 22	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	80–110 days	Long season; direct sow after soil warms, or start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost in short-season climates.
Pumpkin	—	Mar 8 – Mar 22	—	—	90–120 days	Direct sow 1-3 weeks after last frost; back-time from your first fall frost so the 90-120 day maturity window lands before it.
Watermelon	Feb 1 – Feb 8	—	Mar 15 – Mar 22	—	70–90 days	Needs warm soil (65F+); start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost, transplant 2-3 weeks after last frost.
Cantaloupe	Feb 1 – Feb 8	—	Mar 15 – Mar 22	—	70–90 days	Same warm-soil requirements as watermelon; avoid disturbing roots when transplanting.
Corn	—	Mar 1 – Mar 15	—	—	60–100 days	Direct sow at last frost to 2 weeks after, once soil reaches 60F; does not transplant well. Succession sow every 2 weeks.
Green Bean	—	Mar 1 – Mar 15	—	—	50–65 days	Direct sow at last frost to 2 weeks after, once soil has warmed; frost-tender, do not rush.
Pea	—	Jan 18 – Feb 1	—	—	55–70 days	Cold-hardy; direct sow 4-6 weeks before last frost as soon as soil can be worked.
Lettuce	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Sep 29 – Oct 13	45–60 days	Cold-hardy; direct sow 2-4 weeks before last frost. Also transplantable from indoor starts.
Spinach	—	Jan 18 – Feb 1	—	Sep 29 – Oct 13	40–50 days	Very cold-hardy; direct sow 4-6 weeks before last frost as soon as soil can be worked.
Kale	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Sep 15 – Sep 29	50–65 days	Cold-hardy; direct sow 2-4 weeks before last frost or start indoors for earlier transplants.
Arugula	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Oct 13 – Oct 20	30–40 days	Fast-growing, cold-tolerant green; direct sow 2-4 weeks before last frost, succession sow every 2-3 weeks.
Swiss Chard	—	Feb 8 – Feb 22	—	—	50–60 days	Fairly cold-hardy; direct sow 1-3 weeks before last frost. Tolerates light frost in fall too.
Broccoli	Jan 11 – Jan 25	—	Feb 8 – Feb 15	Sep 22 – Sep 29	55–80 days	Start indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost; transplant out 2-3 weeks before last frost (hardens off to light frost).
Cauliflower	Jan 11 – Jan 25	—	Feb 15 – Feb 22	Sep 15 – Sep 22	55–85 days	Fussier than broccoli about temperature swings; start indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost, transplant 1-2 weeks before last frost.
Cabbage	Jan 11 – Jan 25	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	Sep 15 – Sep 29	60–100 days	Cold-hardy; start indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost, transplant 2-4 weeks before last frost.
Brussels Sprouts	Jan 11 – Jan 25	—	Feb 8 – Feb 22	—	90–110 days	Long-season crop best timed to mature after a light fall frost for sweetest flavor; start indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost.
Carrot	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Sep 1 – Sep 15	60–80 days	Direct sow only (does not transplant); sow 2-4 weeks before last frost, as soon as soil can be worked.
Beet	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Sep 15 – Sep 29	50–65 days	Direct sow 2-4 weeks before last frost; tolerates light frost.
Radish	—	Jan 25 – Feb 8	—	Oct 13 – Oct 27	22–30 days	Very fast and cold-hardy; direct sow 3-5 weeks before last frost, as soon as soil can be worked.
Turnip	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	Sep 15 – Sep 29	40–60 days	Cold-hardy; direct sow 2-4 weeks before last frost.
Onion	Dec 21 – Jan 4	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	90–120 days	Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost (or use sets/transplants); set out 2-4 weeks before last frost, very cold-tolerant as seedlings.
Garlic	—	—	—	Oct 27 – Nov 10	240–270 days	Fall-planted crop only; not planted in spring in most climates.
Potato	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	—	70–120 days	Plant seed potatoes 2-4 weeks before last frost, as soon as soil can be worked and is above 45F; light frost on emerging foliage is usually tolerated.
Sweet Potato	—	—	Mar 15 – Mar 29	—	90–120 days	Set out slips 2-4 weeks after last frost once soil is thoroughly warm (65F+); very frost/cold sensitive.
Asparagus	—	—	Feb 1 – Feb 15	—	730–1095 days	Perennial; plant crowns 2-4 weeks before last frost as soon as soil can be worked. Takes 2-3 years to full production.

Herbs
Crop	Start indoors	Direct sow	Transplant	Fall planting	Maturity	Notes
Basil	Jan 18 – Jan 25	—	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	50–70 days	Very frost/cold sensitive; start indoors 5-6 weeks before last frost, transplant only after all danger of frost (1-2 weeks after) and nights stay warm.
Cilantro	—	Feb 8 – Feb 22	—	Sep 29 – Oct 13	45–70 days	Cool-season, bolts in heat; direct sow 1-3 weeks before last frost, succession sow through spring.
Parsley	Jan 4 – Jan 18	—	Feb 15 – Feb 22	—	70–90 days	Slow to germinate; start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, transplant 1-2 weeks before last frost (biennial, cold-tolerant).
Dill	—	Feb 8 – Feb 22	—	—	40–60 days	Taprooted, does not transplant well; direct sow 1-3 weeks before last frost, succession sow through summer.
Oregano	Jan 4 – Jan 18	—	Mar 1 – Mar 8	—	80–90 days	Perennial herb; start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, transplant around/just after last frost date.
Thyme	Jan 4 – Jan 18	—	Mar 1 – Mar 8	—	85–95 days	Perennial herb, slow from seed; start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, transplant around/after last frost.

Flowers
Crop	Start indoors	Direct sow	Transplant	Fall planting	Maturity	Notes
Sunflower	—	Mar 8 – Mar 22	—	—	70–100 days	Direct sow 1-3 weeks after last frost once soil has warmed; taprooted, resents transplanting.
Zinnia	Feb 1 – Feb 8	Mar 8 – Mar 22	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	60–70 days	Frost-tender; direct sow 1-3 weeks after last frost, or start indoors 3-4 weeks early for earlier blooms.
Marigold	Jan 18 – Feb 1	—	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	45–60 days	Frost-tender; start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost, transplant after all frost danger has passed.
Cosmos	Feb 1 – Feb 8	Mar 8 – Mar 22	Mar 8 – Mar 15	—	60–90 days	Easy from direct seed 1-3 weeks after last frost; can also start indoors 3-4 weeks early.
Nasturtium	—	Mar 8 – Mar 22	—	—	50–65 days	Frost-tender, resents root disturbance; direct sow 1-3 weeks after last frost once soil has warmed.
Dahlia	—	—	Mar 8 – Mar 22	—	90–120 days	Plant tubers 1-3 weeks after last frost once soil is warm (60F+); very frost-sensitive.

Date ranges are estimates based on university extension guidelines and this city's NOAA frost normals — not a guarantee. Scroll to see all columns on narrow screens.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the last frost in Ozark, AL?

Based on 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for the DOTHAN RGNL AP, AL US station, the last spring frost in Ozark typically falls around March 1. A cautious gardener might wait until March 21 (only a 10% chance of a later frost), while February 3 marks an earlier, higher-risk planting date.

When is the first frost in Ozark, AL in fall?

The first fall frost in Ozark typically arrives around November 24. To stay safe, assume frost could start as early as November 7; in milder years it can hold off until December 24.

How long is the growing season in Ozark, AL?

Ozark's average frost-free growing season is about 270 days, running from the typical last spring frost (March 1) to the typical first fall frost (November 24).

What USDA hardiness zone is Ozark, AL in?

Ozark, AL is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, per the USDA's 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Mild winters and a long growing season, room for both cool- and warm-season crops.