Tennessee growing guide: zones, planting dates and where to start
How Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Tennessee covers USDA Zones 7a–7b 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 — Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Average last frost 04/15, first frost 10/15 (about 183 frost-free days).
- Zone 7b — Knoxville, Memphis and the river valleys. Average last frost 04/08, first frost 10/22 (about 197 frost-free days).
Spring dates for Nashville and Middle Tennessee (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
- 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
- Pole beans: seed April 15 – May 6
- Cucumbers: set out April 22 – May 13; fall July 30 – August 20
- Summer squash: seed April 22 – May 13; fall August 6 – August 27
- Winter squash: seed April 22 – May 13
These are averages worked out from frost dates, not a state extension schedule. Adjust for your field and the season.
Published costs per acre
- 2022 Sample Budget for Large-Scale Bell Pepper Production — Per Acre (University of Tennessee Extension, 2022): about $19,374 per acre.
Where to sell in Tennessee
- State buy-local program: the Tennessee Department of Agriculture runs Pick Tennessee Products. Members can be listed for grocery, restaurant and school buyers looking for in-state product — ask about joining and any marketing directories.
- Established market: Nashville Farmers’ Market. Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
- Established market: Memphis Botanic Garden 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 Tennessee
- Income tax: No state income tax on wages or farm profit.
- Sales tax on inputs: Farm inputs and equipment are exempt with an Agricultural Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption from the Department of Revenue.
- Farmland property tax: Greenbelt (Agricultural, Forest and Open Space Land Act): farmland is assessed on use value; apply through 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 Tennessee
- Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) cost-share
- Specialty Crop Block Grant (TN Department of Agriculture)
- Pick Tennessee Products marketing program
- 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
- UT 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