Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 28425 (St. Helena, 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, Willard 4 SW, NC (11 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 250% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)217 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 28425 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 18 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 5: 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 15 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 2 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 16 |
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 5 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 21 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 14 | Oct 28 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 2 | Nov 5 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 20 | Nov 15 |
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 28425
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 2) and first fall frost (Nov 5). 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 5–19 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) | Jul 9–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 16–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 16–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 5–19 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 5–19 | Mar 12–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 5–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 1 (transplant) Aug 27–Sep 24 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 19–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 5–19 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–Sep 10 (transplant) Jul 30–Aug 27 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 5–19 | Mar 5–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–Sep 10 (transplant) Jul 30–Aug 27 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 8–22 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 16–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 5–19 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 8 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 9 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 12–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 26–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Sep 24–Oct 8 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 12–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 8–22 | Feb 19–Mar 5 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 8–22 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 24–Oct 22 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 19–Mar 5 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 22 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 16–30 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 23–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 5–12 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 5–12 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 5–12 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 5–12 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 5–12 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 8–22 | Apr 9–16 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 9–23 (transplant) Apr 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 12–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 27–Sep 24 (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: Willard 4 SW, NC (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00319423), elevation 55 ft, 10.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace 1SE, NC | 13 mi | Apr 1 | Nov 7 |
| Moores Creek Nb, NC | 14 mi | Mar 27 | Nov 8 |
| Wilmington 7 N, NC | 17 mi | Mar 29 | Nov 8 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 6 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 28425
When is the last frost in 28425?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 28425 is April 2. For a more cautious planting date, use April 16, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 28425?
The average first fall freeze is November 5. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 24.
What hardiness zone is 28425?
ZIP 28425 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 28425 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
28457 Rocky Point 28478 Watha 28466 Wallace 28443 Hampstead 28429 Skippers Corner 28421 Atkinson 28454 28435
Other ZIP codes in Pender County
28421 28435 28443 28457 28478 All Pender 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.