Last frost date by ZIP code
Type your ZIP code. You get your USDA zone, the typical window for the last spring frost and the first fall frost, how long your growing season runs, and the date tender plants can safely go outside.
How this frost date finder works
Your ZIP code is matched to its 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, the same data our hardiness zone finder uses. Each zone has a typical window for the last frost in spring and the first frost in fall, taken from the ranges that seed companies and extension services publish per zone. The tool shows that window, the middle of it, and how many frost-free days you get between the two.
Treat the result as a planning range, not a forecast. Hardiness zones are built from the coldest winter night of the year, not from frost dates, so two towns in the same zone can be a couple of weeks apart. Valleys and low spots collect cold air and frost later in spring; hillsides, cities and places near large lakes or the ocean frost later in fall. If you want a date for your exact location, the NOAA climate normals for the nearest weather station are the gold standard, and your county extension office publishes them in plain language.
- Last frost: the date after which a frost in spring becomes unlikely (usually about a 50 percent chance on the published date).
- First frost: the date in fall when the first frost becomes likely.
- Growing season: the frost-free days between the two.
- Safe date for tender plants: about two weeks after the middle of the last frost window.
Typical frost dates by USDA zone
These are the windows the tool uses. The farther north and the higher the elevation, the later the spring frost and the earlier the fall one.
| Zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Approx. season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | May 10 to June 5 | Sept 5 to Sept 25 | 100 to 120 days |
| 4 | May 1 to May 25 | Sept 15 to Oct 5 | 125 to 140 days |
| 5 | April 20 to May 15 | Sept 30 to Oct 20 | 150 to 165 days |
| 6 | April 5 to April 30 | Oct 10 to Oct 30 | 180 to 195 days |
| 7 | March 25 to April 15 | Oct 20 to Nov 10 | 205 to 215 days |
| 8 | March 5 to March 30 | Nov 5 to Nov 25 | 235 to 245 days |
| 9 | Feb 5 to March 5 | Nov 25 to Dec 15 | 275 to 290 days |
| 10 | Jan 15 to Feb 10 | Dec 10 to Dec 31 | 310+ days |
| 11 to 13 | Frost free | Frost free | Year round |
What to plant before and after the last frost
The last frost date is the anchor for almost every planting decision in a vegetable garden or flower bed. Cool-season crops can go in before it; warm-season crops wait until after it, and some wait until the soil warms up too.
Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes and onion sets can be sown or planted 2 to 6 weeks before the last frost, because a light frost does not hurt them. Broccoli, cabbage and kale transplants go out about 2 weeks before. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, melons, beans, corn and basil wait until about 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, when nights stay above 50°F. Our planting calendar does that math crop by crop once you know your date.
- 4 to 6 weeks before: peas, spinach, onion sets, potatoes (2 to 4 weeks).
- 2 to 4 weeks before: lettuce, carrots, radishes, beets, cabbage family transplants.
- Around the last frost: hardy annual flowers, perennials, shrubs.
- 1 to 2 weeks after: tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans, corn, basil, summer annuals.
Protecting plants from a late frost
Even after the average date, a cold clear night can bring frost. When the forecast drops near 32°F, water the soil in the afternoon (moist soil holds heat), cover tender plants with frost cloth, old sheets or buckets in the evening, and take the covers off in the morning. Avoid plastic touching the leaves; it conducts cold. Plants in containers can simply come inside or into the garage for the night.
In fall, the first frost ends tomatoes, basil and beans but sweetens kale, carrots and Brussels sprouts. Pick the green tomatoes before the first frost and ripen them indoors.
Plan the whole yard, not just the dates
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Redesign my yard freeFrequently asked questions
What does the last frost date mean?⌄
It is the date after which a spring frost becomes unlikely, based on decades of weather records. On the average last frost date there is still roughly a 50 percent chance of a later frost, which is why gardeners wait a week or two more before planting tender crops.
How accurate is a frost date by ZIP code?⌄
It is a good planning range. This tool uses your ZIP code's USDA hardiness zone and the typical frost window for that zone. Local terrain matters: low areas frost later in spring, cities and coasts frost later in fall. For a station-level date, check NOAA climate normals or your county extension office.
When is it safe to plant tomatoes?⌄
About one to two weeks after your last frost date, when nights stay above 50°F and the soil is at least 60°F. Planting earlier rarely gets you earlier tomatoes, because the plants stall in cold soil.
Is a hardiness zone the same as a frost date?⌄
No. The hardiness zone measures the average coldest winter night, which tells you which perennials survive winter. Frost dates tell you when the growing season starts and ends. They are related, so the zone gives a useful estimate of frost dates, but they are separate measures.
What temperature counts as a frost?⌄
Frost forms when the temperature at plant level drops to 32°F (0°C). A light frost (29 to 32°F) damages tender plants; a hard freeze (28°F or below) kills most annuals and the tops of many vegetables.