Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 28581 (Carteret County, 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, Cedar Is, NC (12 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 1150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)261 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°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 28581 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 Apr 26 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
- Lettuce: fall sowing Sep 21–Oct 19
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 5–26
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 5–26
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 5–Nov 2
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Sep 21–Oct 19
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 30: 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) | Feb 19 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 11 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 30 |
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) | Nov 11 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 30 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 20 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 24 | Nov 17 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 11 | Nov 30 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 27 | Dec 17 |
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 28581
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 11) and first fall frost (Nov 30). 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 | Jan 14–28 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 14–28 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 14–28 | Feb 18–Mar 11 (transplant) Feb 11–Mar 25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–26 (transplant) Sep 21–Oct 19 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 28–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–26 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 14–28 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (transplant) Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 14–28 | Feb 11–Mar 11 (transplant) Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (transplant) Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 25–Mar 11 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 14–28 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–Nov 2 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 11–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Feb 25–Mar 18 (transplant) Feb 25–Mar 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 18–Mar 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 4–Mar 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 19–Nov 2 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 11–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 18–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 14–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 17–31 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19–Nov 16 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Oct 19–Nov 16 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 10–24 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 11–18 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 11–18 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 11–18 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 11–18 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 11–18 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 17–31 | Mar 18–25 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 18–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 25–Mar 25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 25–Mar 11 (transplant) Feb 18–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Sep 21–Oct 19 (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: Cedar Is, NC (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00311606), elevation 8 ft, 12.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort Michael J Smith Fld, NC | 15 mi | Mar 10 | Dec 1 |
| Morehead City 2 WNW, NC | 19 mi | Mar 18 | Nov 21 |
| Atlantic Beach WTP, NC | 20 mi | Mar 3 | Dec 13 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 15 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 28581
When is the last frost in 28581?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 28581 is March 11. For a more cautious planting date, use March 30, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 28581?
The average first fall freeze is November 30. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 11.
What hardiness zone is 28581?
ZIP 28581 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 28581 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
28524 Davis 28579 28577 28589 28511 Atlantic 28553 Marshallberg 28528 Gloucester 28516 Beaufort
Other ZIP codes in Carteret County
28511 28512 28516 28520 28524 28528 28531 28553 28557 28570 28575 28577 28579 28584 28589 28594 All Carteret 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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- Weekly yard to-dos
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.