Average Last Frost Date Map
Timing is everything, especially when it comes to gardening. If you plan your spring plantings around the average last frost date in your region, you’re sure to have an ideal garden season. We’ll help you with reminders about when to plant seeds indoors, and when it’s safe to plant seedlings outdoors, for the healthiest plants possible. Great gardens involve some luck, but you can increase your good luck by following our timing suggestions to optimize your harvest rewards. Watch for our spring updates based on your region on the “last frost dates” map to plan your best garden ever!
17 weeks before your average last frost date, you should think about doing the following; order your asparagus crowns, sow your parsley seeds, thyme seeds, and onion seeds.
16 weeks before your average last frost date, you should think starting your oregano, chive, basil and leek seeds inside. It is also a good time to turn your compost pile.
14-10 weeks before your last average frost date, you should think about starting these seeds indoors; dill, cilantro, celery, celeriac, collards, kale, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, and cabbage Also a good time to get your cold frame read to go.
9 weeks before your last average frost date, you should think about starting these seeds indoors; eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, parsley, savory, fennel, anise and chervil.
8 weeks before your average last frost date you should think about sowing your parsnip seed into your garden soil (if it is workable), remove some of the mulch on your strawberry plants (if they are showing signs of new growth), check your earlier indoor starts for first set of true leaves; transplant into larger pots when that happens, and fertilizer any asparagus that is already planted in your garden.
7 weeks before your average last frost date you should move your leek, onion, and lettuce starts from indoors out into your cold frame to harden them off before planting into your garden. It is also a good time to sow your carrot, beet, leaf lettuce, pea and spinach seeds into your garden soil. If you grew a cover crop, this is a good week to turn them under.
6 weeks before your average last frost date you should move your onion transplants into the garden. It is also time to divide your rhubarb crowns and replant. Seeds that can be direct sown outside are lettuce, swiss chard, kale, endive, carrot, radish, beet, turnip, kohlrabi, and parsnip. Seeding is easy when using one of our garden seeders!
5 weeks before your average last frost date is a good time start your tomato seed and basil seed indoors. It is also time to transplant the leek plants you started indoors out into the garden. If you already have your seed potatoes, now is the earliest you should plant them. Check out our video on how to plant seed potatoes. Weeding the garden should also be a priority this week as you get ready all the action!
4 weeks before your average last frost date is a good time to get your herb seed started indoors. Mustard seed can now be direct sown into the garden. You should also start hardening off your cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts plants. Hardening requires your plants to be moved outside into a spot that is sheltered from direct sun and wind for 2 hours per day, do this 4-7 days before transplanting.