Bentonville, AR 72712 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Bentonville, AR?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/12, roughly 227 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/26, about 195 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Bentonville in Zone 7a (0 to 5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 8 weeks of growing season left in Bentonville before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/12 isn't a guarantee
04/12 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/27 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/29 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Bentonville compares
Bentonville's growing season runs about 195 days, ranking 19,156 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within AR, it ranks 643 of 687.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Bentonville can differ from the 72712 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 7a and Bentonville's frost date answer different questions.