Arkansas growing guide: zones, planting dates and where to start
How Arkansas zones change planting dates, with spring dates for its main growing region.
Not yet expert-reviewed. Written by BAU Farm Intelligence from public extension and agency sources. Check dates and program details with your local extension office.
Zones across Arkansas
Arkansas covers USDA Zones 7a–8a on our calendar. A date that works in one part of the state can be weeks off in another, so plant by your zone, not the state.
- Zone 7a — Little Rock, Fayetteville and the Ozarks. Average last frost 04/15, first frost 10/15 (about 183 frost-free days).
- Zone 7b — Jonesboro and the Delta. Average last frost 04/08, first frost 10/22 (about 197 frost-free days).
- Zone 8a — Texarkana and south Arkansas. Average last frost 03/28, first frost 11/05 (about 222 frost-free days).
Spring dates for Little Rock and the Ozark foothills (Zone 7a)
- Tomatoes: set out April 22 – May 13; fall July 2 – July 23
- Peppers: set out April 29 – May 20; fall July 16 – August 6
- Watermelon: set out April 29 – May 20
- Cantaloupe: set out April 22 – May 13
- Sweet corn: seed April 15 – May 6; fall July 16 – August 6
- Green beans (bush): seed April 15 – May 6; fall July 30 – August 20
- Cucumbers: set out April 22 – May 13; fall July 30 – August 20
- Summer squash: seed April 22 – May 13; fall August 6 – August 27
These are averages worked out from frost dates, not a state extension schedule. Adjust for your field and the season.
Where to sell in Arkansas
- State buy-local program: the Arkansas Department of Agriculture runs Arkansas Grown. Members can be listed for grocery, restaurant and school buyers looking for in-state product — ask about joining and any marketing directories.
- Established market: Fayetteville Farmers’ Market. Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
- Established market: Bentonville Farmers Market. Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
- Farmers markets, CSAs and on-farm stands: the USDA Local Food Directories list them by state, so you can see who already sells near you and which markets still need your crop.
- Schools and institutions: ask your state's farm-to-school contact (usually through the agriculture or education department) what they buy and when.
- Buyers on BAU: buyers post what they need on the marketplace, and you can list your crop window there for free.
Call before you count on any buyer: programs and market hours change, and a price talked through in winter is worth more than one found at harvest.
Farm taxes in Arkansas
- Income tax: Graduated state income tax with a top rate that has been stepping down.
- Sales tax on inputs: Seed, fertilizer, feed and new farm machinery used in farming are exempt; give the vendor a signed agricultural exemption certificate.
- Farmland property tax: Agricultural land is assessed on productivity value, not market value; ask the county assessor.
Rates and forms change. Confirm with the state revenue department or a farm tax preparer before you file — this is a plain-language guide, not tax advice. Our farm tax estimator covers the federal deductions every state shares.
Grants and cost-share in Arkansas
- Specialty Crop Block Grant (Arkansas Department of Agriculture)
- Arkansas Grown marketing program
- Conservation district cost-share through the Natural Resources Division
- USDA NRCS EQIP cost-share and FSA microloans through your county USDA service center
- Southern SARE farmer and rancher grants for on-farm trials
See the grant tracker for deadlines we follow.
Who to call
- University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension — county offices for soil tests, varieties and pest help
- Your county USDA service center (FSA and NRCS) for loans, cost-share and farm numbers