| USDA Hardiness Zone | First Frost Date | Last Frost Date |
| 1 | July 15th | June 15th |
| 2 | August 15th | May 15th |
| 3 | September 15th | May 15th |
| 4 | September 15th | May 15th |
| 5 | October 15th | April 15th |
| 6 | October 15th | April 15th |
| 7 | October 15th | April 15th |
| 8 | November 15th | March 15th |
| 9 | December 15th | February 15th |
| 10 | December 15th | January 31st (sometimes earlier) |
| 11 | No frost. | No frost. |
Can you believe it? It's time for me to start planning on where the heck I'm going to start my seedlings. Paul put up a grow light under the counter top in the kitchen a few years ago, but I really need more room. But I have no idea where I'm going to put the new lights and shelves. The basement is much too cold as we don't have a wood stove down there and just about anyplace upstairs (other than the kitchen counter) is a cat / dog / toddler accident just waiting to happen. Maybe in the bedroom and tell Paul he'll have to wear one of those sleeping masks at night?
Wow, seems like the winter is just flying by! Time to start sorting out those seed, planning your garden beds and dreaming about that first homegrown, juicy tomato!
Speaking of time flying by, Kelly over at Happy Hollow Homestead is celebrating a full YEAR of blogging by having a cool giveaway. Go check her out and enter to win a cool look'n tote bag!
Holy crap, that is insane. According to your calculations, my last frost date has been moved up an entire month! Holy planting Batman!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, i was wondering about that chart. I may have to look into a few other ones to compare. It didn't seem right to me, but I just flew through this post today and didn't do enough research I guess!
ReplyDeleteIs this a new one? I know they revised the zones last year and we moved up half a zone. We're in 5 but I've always gone with the May 15th date. I can't imagine April 15th! Even last year when it was such an early spring we still got frosts in May. Hmm....
ReplyDeleteIt does seem odd. Will work on that soon. Really. Or you can all blame me when your seedlings bite the dust from an "early frost"!
DeleteWe judge by May as well, it's technically April but anyone in zone 5 near STL knows you better wait!
DeleteLast frost date in the spring is May 15th?? HAHAHAHAHAHA! We have to wait until the second week in June to set out tender seedlings that have been hardened off, and that have been grown to a foot tall inside, under lights, and with night time protection. Okay, I'll stop now.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on where the heck did this winter go, I wanna know!? I'm digging in my heels and kicking and screaming, "Noooo! I don't want it to be spring yet! I still want my long, slow winter!"
Spring! I'm ready!!!! Thanks for putting up a link to my giveaway ☺
ReplyDeleteI do need to get some seedlings started if I'm going to have any tomatoes, peppers or eggplant this year. I TRY to wait until Mother's Day weekend to plant. That hardiness chart does seem to be a bit off! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteP.S. NO, I'm NOT ready!!