Georgia Frost Dates & Growing Season Guide
Georgia (GA) spans USDA hardiness zones 7b, 8a, 8b, with growing seasons ranging from 237 days in Atlanta to 276 days in Savannah. The average growing season across the state is approximately 253 days.
Georgia City Frost Dates
The table below shows the average last spring frost date, first fall frost date, growing season length, and USDA hardiness zone for each city. Click a city name for detailed planting calendars and zone information.
Planting Windows for Georgia
Based on average frost dates, here are the recommended planting windows for each city. The indoor seed start date is approximately seven weeks before the last spring frost. Transplanting should occur about two weeks after the last frost. The last direct sow date for fall crops is ten weeks before the first fall frost.
Gardening in Georgia
Georgia spans from mountain highlands in the north to coastal plains in the south, offering diverse gardening opportunities. Atlanta at elevation 1,050 feet in zone 7b has a shorter season than Savannah in zone 8b. The state's warm, humid summers are ideal for okra, field peas, sweet potatoes, and watermelons. Vidalia onions are famously grown in Georgia's mild winters. Peach trees thrive in the central part of the state. Fall gardening is highly productive, with cool-season crops planted from September through October. Red clay soils in the Piedmont region need generous compost amendments to improve drainage and workability.
Understanding Georgia's Hardiness Zones
Georgia includes USDA hardiness zones 7b, 8a, 8b. These zones indicate the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature for each area, which determines which perennial plants, trees, and shrubs can survive winter without protection. When purchasing trees, shrubs, or perennial flowers, always check that the plant is rated for your hardiness zone or a lower (colder) zone number.
Tips for Using Georgia Frost Dates
These frost dates represent long-term averages and should be treated as guidelines rather than guarantees. In any given year, the actual last spring frost or first fall frost may arrive one to three weeks earlier or later than the average. Factors that affect your specific location include elevation above the city center, proximity to water, slope direction, and whether you are in an urban or rural area. South-facing slopes and areas near large pavement or building masses tend to be warmer than surrounding open land. Low-lying valleys and exposed hilltops are often colder than mid-slope positions.
To protect against late spring frosts, keep row cover fabric, old bed sheets, or frost blankets on hand. Monitor your local weather forecast daily as the average frost date approaches. When frost is predicted after you have transplanted, covering plants in the late afternoon traps ground heat and can protect against temperatures down to about 28 degrees Fahrenheit. For fall season extension, the same covers protect mature plants from early frosts, often buying several additional weeks of harvest.