====== 🌤️ Garden: Frost Dates & Growing Season (Sanford, NC – Zone 7b/8a) ======

This page documents the official frost dates, season length, and planting windows  
for the 2026 growing season in **Sanford, North Carolina (Zone 7b/8a)**.  
Use this page to plan start dates, transplant timing, and fall extensions.

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===== 📆 Average Frost Dates =====

* **Last Spring Frost:** ~**April 16**  
* **First Fall Frost:** ~**October 24**

These dates represent regional averages and may vary slightly year-to-year.

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===== 📏 Total Growing Season =====

* **Approximate frost-free days:** **~190 days**
* Season Length: **Mid-April → Late October**

This long warm-season window supports full harvests of tomatoes, peppers,  
cucumbers, squash, beans, peas (spring + fall), onions, herbs, and flowers.

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===== 🗓️ Month-by-Month What You Can Plant =====

=== February ===
  * Start onions indoors (Jan 10–Feb 25)
  * Direct sow peas (Feb 10–Mar 10)
  * Start peppers indoors (Feb 1–15)

=== March ===
  * Start tomatoes indoors (Feb 15–Mar 1)
  * Continue peas outdoors
  * Pot up indoor seedlings

=== April ===
  * Harden off tomatoes (Apr 5–15)
  * Harden off peppers (Apr 10–20)
  * **Frost risk drops after April 16**
  * Final week of April → plant tomatoes outdoors

=== May ===
  * Transplant peppers (Apr 25–May 5)
  * Direct sow cucumbers (Apr 20–May 10)
  * Direct sow squash (May 1–15)
  * Direct sow pole beans (Apr 1–May 15)

=== June ===
  * Full warm-season growth
  * Begin harvesting early tomatoes & peppers

=== July ===
  * Replant cucumbers (Jul 10–20)
  * Beans continue production
  * Begin planning for fall crops

=== August ===
  * Start fall greens indoors or direct sow
  * Start fall peas (optional second round)

=== September ===
  * Harvest peak tomatoes, peppers, squash
  * Continue fall garden (greens, peas)

=== October ===
  * **First frost around October 24**
  * Final harvest of warm-season crops
  * Flowers (zinnias, marigolds) finish out

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===== 🧊 Frost Protection Notes =====

  * Tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans)  
    should NOT be planted before last frost unless covered.
  * Row covers or buckets can extend the season by 1–2 weeks in spring or fall.
  * Onions, peas, greens tolerate near-freezing temperatures easily.

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===== ✔️ Summary =====

  * **Zone:** 7b/8a  
  * **Last Frost:** April 16  
  * **First Frost:** October 24  
  * **Growing Season:** ~190 days  
  * Warm-season crops thrive from **late April → late October**  
  * Cool-season crops bookend the season in **February–March** and **August–October**

This calendar is the foundation for all 2026 seed-starting and planting decisions.