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Seed Starting Calendar for Tennessee

Median last frost from Mar 28 to Apr 23 across Tennessee

NOAA stations
143
Median last frost, Nashville
Mar 31
Passed in 9 of 10 years
Apr 16
Last frost

Last spring frost dates in Tennessee

Memphis on the Mississippi reaches its median last frost around Mar 16, Chattanooga around Mar 24, Nashville around Mar 31, and Bristol and Gatlinburg in the east around Apr 16 to Apr 17.

Three dates per station from the NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals. The median is the date half of springs run past. The last column is the date the last 32°F night has passed by in 9 years out of 10, the one to hold tender transplants for.

StationElevationEarly (1 in 10 years later than this)Median last frostPassed in 9 of 10 yearsMedian first fall frost
MemphisMemphis Intl Airport, USW00013893254 ftFeb 27Mar 16Apr 4Nov 16
Chattanooga Lovell AirportChattanooga Lovell Airport, USW00013882671 ftMar 6Mar 24Apr 8Nov 9
NashvilleNashville Intl Airport, USW00013897600 ftMar 13Mar 31Apr 16Nov 3
Bristol Tri City AirportBristol Tri City Airport, USW000138771,500 ftMar 30Apr 16May 5Oct 24
GatlinburgGatlinburg 2 SW, USC004034201,454 ftMar 31Apr 17May 2Oct 25
Crop chart

When to start seeds in Tennessee, spring 2027

Counted back from the median last frost at Nashville, March 31. Pick another station to redraw the chart for it.

Seed starting calendar for Nashville, Tennessee, spring 2027DecJanFebMarAprOnion (from seed)Onion (from seed): start indoors Dec 23 to Jan 6Onion (from seed): harden off Feb 17 to Mar 3Onion (from seed): set out Mar 3 to Mar 10PepperPepper: start indoors Feb 3 to Feb 17Pepper: harden off Mar 31 to Apr 14Pepper: set out Apr 14 to Apr 21EggplantEggplant: start indoors Feb 3 to Feb 17Eggplant: harden off Mar 31 to Apr 14Eggplant: set out Apr 14 to Apr 21TomatoTomato: start indoors Feb 10 to Feb 24Tomato: harden off Mar 24 to Apr 7Tomato: set out Apr 7 to Apr 14BroccoliBroccoli: start indoors Jan 20 to Feb 3Broccoli: harden off Feb 17 to Mar 3Broccoli: set out Mar 3 to Mar 17CabbageCabbage: start indoors Jan 20 to Feb 3Cabbage: harden off Feb 17 to Mar 3Cabbage: set out Mar 3 to Mar 10LettuceLettuce: start indoors Jan 27 to Feb 3Lettuce: harden off Feb 17 to Mar 3Lettuce: set out Mar 3 to Mar 10BasilBasil: start indoors Feb 17 to Mar 3Basil: harden off Mar 31 to Apr 14Basil: set out Apr 14 to Apr 21CucumberCucumber: start indoors Mar 10 to Mar 17Cucumber: harden off Mar 24 to Apr 7Cucumber: set out Apr 7 to Apr 14Cucumber: sow outdoors Mar 31 to Apr 7Summer squashSummer squash: start indoors Mar 17 to Mar 24Summer squash: harden off Mar 31 to Apr 14Summer squash: set out Apr 14 to Apr 21Summer squash: sow outdoors Mar 31 to Apr 7PeasPeas: sow outdoors Mar 3 to Mar 17CarrotCarrot: sow outdoors Mar 17 to Mar 31BeansBeans: sow outdoors Mar 31 to Apr 7Sweet cornSweet corn: sow outdoors Mar 31 to Apr 7Median last frost Mar 319 in 10 years Apr 16
Start indoorsHarden offSet outSow outdoorsMedian last frostLast freeze passed in 9 of 10 years
Every crop, counted from a median last frost of March 31
CropStart indoorsSet outSow outdoorsFrost class
TomatoFeb 10 to Feb 24Apr 7 to Apr 14Tender, very tender
PepperFeb 3 to Feb 17Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
EggplantFeb 3 to Feb 17Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
BasilFeb 17 to Mar 3Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender
CeleryJan 6 to Jan 20Mar 31 to Apr 7Tender
CucumberMar 10 to Mar 17Apr 7 to Apr 14Mar 31 to Apr 7Tender
Summer squashMar 17 to Mar 24Apr 14 to Apr 21Mar 31 to Apr 7Tender
Winter squashMar 17 to Mar 24Apr 14 to Apr 21Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
PumpkinMar 17 to Mar 24Apr 14 to Apr 21Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
Melon (cantaloupe)Mar 17 to Mar 24Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
WatermelonMar 10 to Mar 24Apr 14 to Apr 21Tender, very tender
Onion (from seed)Dec 23 to Jan 6Mar 3 to Mar 10Hardy
LeekDec 23 to Jan 6Mar 3 to Mar 10Hardy
ParsleyDec 30 to Jan 6Mar 10 to Mar 17Half-hardy
BroccoliJan 20 to Feb 3Mar 3 to Mar 17Hardy
Brussels sproutsJan 20 to Feb 3Mar 3 to Mar 17Hardy
CabbageJan 20 to Feb 3Mar 3 to Mar 10Hardy
CauliflowerFeb 3 to Feb 17Mar 17 to Mar 24Half-hardy
KaleJan 20 to Feb 3Mar 3 to Mar 10Hardy
LettuceJan 27 to Feb 3Mar 3 to Mar 10Hardy
Swiss chardFeb 3 to Feb 17Mar 17 to Mar 24Mar 3 to Mar 10Half-hardy
SpinachJan 6 to Jan 20Feb 17 to Mar 10Mar 3 to Mar 17Hardy
PeasMar 3 to Mar 17Hardy
RadishMar 3 to Mar 17Hardy
CarrotMar 17 to Mar 31Half-hardy
BeetMar 17 to Mar 31Half-hardy
BeansMar 31 to Apr 7Tender
Sweet cornMar 31 to Apr 7Tender
Six square pots of dark compost seen from above, each holding a single seedling with two narrow seed leaves
Tomato seedlings at the seed leaf stage, one to a pot. The University of Minnesota Extension holds off on fertilizer until a seedling has several sets of true leaves, then feeds at quarter strength once a week. “Tomato Seedlings (49768696597)” by Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
Extension guide

What University of Tennessee Extension advises

University of Tennessee Extension publishes the planting guide Tennessee gardeners work from, 2026 Tennessee Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden Calendar (W436).

“Hardy cool-season crops are usually seeded or transplanted 4-6 weeks before the frost-free date while less cold hardy cool-season crops are usually started 2 weeks prior.”
University of Tennessee Extension, 2026 Tennessee Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden Calendar, quoted exactly.
“Tomato transplants need 6-8 weeks, so a March seeding means May transplants.”
University of Tennessee Extension, on tomato, quoted exactly.
“Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and similar crops will need approximately 8 weeks from seeding to transplanting. A late March or early April planting will require an early February seeding.”
University of Tennessee Extension, on broccoli, quoted exactly.
“Peppers and eggplants prefer even warmer soil conditions than tomatoes and are often planted later.”
University of Tennessee Extension, on pepper, quoted exactly.
“It is common to seed some direct-seeded warm-season crops a bit before the frost-free date (beans, corn).”
University of Tennessee Extension, on beans, quoted exactly.
A gardener kneeling beside a raised bed setting a young tomato plant into dark soil, an empty nursery pot beside her
Setting out a tomato in June at a community garden. Tender crops go out after the last frost, and after a week or two of hardening off outdoors. “Volunteer planting heirloom tomato (4704185147)”, Pacific Southwest Region 5, Public domain

Seed starting questions for Tennessee

Frost dates from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal, by station (v1.0.1). Planting guidance from University of Tennessee Extension, quoted exactly. Seed starting weeks from UNH Cooperative Extension. Compiled 2026-09-21.

First frost in TennesseeThe other end of the season: when fall frost ends the tender crops.Soil temperatureBeans, corn and squash sown direct wait on warm soil as well as the last frost.Tennessee lawn care calendarSpring seeding, feeding and mowing dates on the same climate.Fall planting calendarGarlic, cool season crops and a second sowing window in the fall.Frost dates by ZIPFirst and last frost odds for any address.

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