Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 28572 (Potters Hill, NC)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Richlands, NC (14 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 450% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)214 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8a10 to 15°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 28572 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-February to early March; fall September to early October.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Southeast (warm, humid). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Centipedegrass (warm-season): Spring: Not before mid-May (NC State); after full green-up (about May 21 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Optional mid-summer feeding, especially on sandy coastal soils. Avoid: Early-spring feeding, frequent feeding and liming unless a soil test calls for it (centipede decline).
Plant now
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 4: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Mar 19 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 5 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 20 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 24 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 4 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 18 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 15 | Oct 28 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 5 | Nov 4 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 24 | Nov 16 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 28572
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 5) and first fall frost (Nov 4). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | Jul 8–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 8–22 | Mar 15–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–30 (transplant) Aug 26–Sep 23 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–30 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) Jul 29–Aug 26 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) Jul 29–Aug 26 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 15–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 1–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 11–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 23–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | Sep 23–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 15–29 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 26–May 17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 11–25 | Apr 12–19 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Richlands, NC (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00316422), elevation 20 ft, 13.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw 5 E, NC | 16 mi | Apr 7 | Oct 30 |
| Kinston 7 SE, NC | 16 mi | Apr 1 | Nov 4 |
| Mt Olive 6SE, NC | 17 mi | Mar 28 | Nov 7 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 10 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 28572
When is the last frost in 28572?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 28572 is April 5. For a more cautious planting date, use April 20, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 28572?
The average first fall freeze is November 4. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 24.
What hardiness zone is 28572?
ZIP 28572 is in USDA zone 8a (10 to 15°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 28572 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
28508 28525 Deep Run 28518 Beulaville 28349 Kenansville 28574 Richlands 28521 Chinquapin 28578 Seven Springs 28504 Kinston
Other ZIP codes in Duplin County
28325 28349 28365 28398 28453 28458 28464 28466 28508 28518 28521 All Duplin County frost dates · North Carolina frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.