Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 28398 (Warsaw, 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, Warsaw 5 E, NC (4 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 750% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)204 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 28398 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 23 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
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 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) | Mar 23 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 7 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 22 |
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 16 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 30 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 11 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 20 | Oct 22 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 7 | Oct 30 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 29 | Nov 7 |
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 28398
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 7) and first fall frost (Oct 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 | Feb 10–24 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 10–24 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 10–24 | Mar 17–Apr 7 (transplant) Mar 10–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–25 (transplant) Aug 21–Sep 18 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 24–Mar 17 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–25 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 10–24 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) Jul 24–Aug 21 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 10–24 | Mar 10–Apr 7 (transplant) Mar 10–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) Jul 24–Aug 21 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 13–27 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 10–31 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 10–24 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 10–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 10–31 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Mar 24–Apr 14 (transplant) Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 10–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 17–Apr 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 3–Apr 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 10–31 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 17–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 10–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 13–27 | Feb 24–Mar 10 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 24–Mar 24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 13–27 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 18–Oct 16 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 24–Mar 10 (transplant) | Sep 18–Oct 16 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 10–24 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 28–May 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 10–17 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 10–17 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 10–17 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 10–17 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 10–17 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 13–27 | Apr 14–21 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 14–28 (transplant) Apr 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) Mar 17–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (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: Warsaw 5 E, NC (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00319081), elevation 110 ft, 3.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Olive 6SE, NC | 11 mi | Mar 28 | Nov 7 |
| Clinton 2 NE, NC | 12 mi | Mar 26 | Nov 7 |
| Wallace 1SE, NC | 18 mi | Apr 1 | Nov 7 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 12 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 28398
When is the last frost in 28398?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 28398 is April 7. For a more cautious planting date, use April 22, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 28398?
The average first fall freeze is October 30. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 16.
What hardiness zone is 28398?
ZIP 28398 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 28398 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
28393 Turkey 28349 Kenansville 28453 Magnolia 28341 Faison 28325 Calypso 28458 Delway 28365 Mount Olive 28464 Teachey
Other ZIP codes in Duplin County
28325 28349 28365 28453 28458 28464 28466 28508 28518 28521 28572 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.