Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 31539 — Hazlehurst, GA

ZIP code 31539 (Hazlehurst, Jeff Davis County) is in USDA zone 9a: the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25 °F. The median last spring frost is March 12 and the first fall frost November 17.

Where ZIP 31539 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
Coldest night−6.7 to −3.9 °C
Last frostMar 12
First frostNov 17
2012 zone8b

Was 8b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 9a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Hazlehurst, GA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Hazlehurst, GA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 12median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 28only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 17median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season251 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 24 and returns around December 4.

From the NOAA station Hazlehurst, GA — 5 miles away, elevation 249 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 31539

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 29 – Feb 19
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 1 – Jan 15
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 1 – Jan 15
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 26 – Apr 9
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 22 – Oct 6
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 3 – Dec 8
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 12) and first fall frost (Nov 17) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 31539 came on Jan 27 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 29).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Soil in Hazlehurst, GA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 31539 is Pelham — loamy sand, poorly drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH4.7strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Pelham loamy sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 31539; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hazlehurst, GA

Summer high92 °Faverage high, July
Winter low38 °Faverage low, January
Hot days83days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights33nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,270base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 14 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation50.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° JanFebruary: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 47 °F 71°47° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 53 °F 78°53° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 69 °F 90°69° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 72 °F 92°72° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 71 °F 91°71° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 66 °F 87°66° SepOctober: average high 79 °F, low 55 °F 79°55° OctNovember: average high 70 °F, low 45 °F 70°45° NovDecember: average high 63 °F, low 40 °F 63°40° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 4.15 in precipitation 4.2 JanFebruary: 4.21 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.2 FebMarch: 4.41 in precipitation 4.4 MarApril: 3.65 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 3.30 in precipitation 3.3 MayJune: 5.28 in precipitation 5.3 JunJuly: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 6.87 in precipitation 6.9 AugSeptember: 4.47 in precipitation 4.5 SepOctober: 2.95 in precipitation 3.0 OctNovember: 2.98 in precipitation 3.0 NovDecember: 4.09 in precipitation 4.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Hazlehurst, GA (5 mi away); precipitation: Hazlehurst, GA (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

2 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

315329a
Denton, GA · 10 mi
315498b
Lumber City, GA · 11 mi
315679a
West Green, GA · 14 mi
315159a
Baxley, GA · 15 mi
315139a
Baxley, GA · 15 mi
304738b
Uvalda, GA · 16 mi
315199a
Broxton, GA · 19 mi
304129a
Alston, GA · 20 mi

Georgia planting zones →

Questions about 31539

What planting zone is ZIP code 31539?

ZIP code 31539 (Hazlehurst, GA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 20 to 25 °F (−6.7 to −3.9 °C).

When is the last frost in Hazlehurst, GA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 31539 is March 12; after March 28 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Hazlehurst station.

When is the first frost in Hazlehurst, GA?

The median first fall frost near 31539 is November 17, giving a median frost-free growing season of 251 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 31539?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Jan 15 – Jan 29 and set transplants outside around Mar 19 – Apr 2, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 31539 get?

About 50.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Hazlehurst station).

How hot do summers get in Hazlehurst, GA?

The average high peaks at 92 °F in July, with about 83 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 31539 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Pelham at the center of ZIP 31539: loamy sand, poorly drained, pH about 4.7 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Hazlehurst, GA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 31539 came on Jan 27 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 29), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hazlehurst, GA?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 31539 is 14 h 14 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 31539 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 31539 in zone 8b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.