Confused on frost date

bonnie0128 3/22/2014, 10:20 am

So I've been trying to narrow down my frost date but all the data I've found is conflicting. In years past, it has been May 15 (ish) but our weather pattern seems to have shifted and we actually were re-zoned from 5A to 6A. Depending on the source, I find frost dates from May 15 - June 1. So I'm really not sure when to actually start my seeds (probably late already with a few). I am in NE Ohio, zip code 44429, between Akron and Youngstown (specifically Lake Milton).

So, do I just go with May 15 and hold off placing in-ground if frost is still being called for around that time or what?

**camprn** 3/22/2014, 10:35 am

Yes. Keep in mind you may plant our cold hearty vegetables like brassicas before the last frost date. You can also sow directly before last frost things like beets, radish, peas, spinach...

For warm weather veggies you want the soil warm, sow tomatoes, peppers, aubergine using a later anticipated frost date.

Try using this calculator
http://m.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates

bonnie0128 3/22/2014, 11:11 am

camprn wrote:
Try using this calculator
http://m.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates

This one gives me May 17. Guess I'll just go with that and adjust as the weather permits. My dirt is still frozen now.

**camprn** 3/22/2014, 12:00 pm

bonnie0128 wrote:
camprn wrote:
Try using this calculator
http://m.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates

This one gives me May 17. Guess I'll just go with that and adjust as the weather permits. My dirt is still frozen now.

Mine too. The only thing I have started so far are leeks. I may start my peppers this week, since they seem to take forever to get going.

**jimmy cee** 3/22/2014, 10:21 pm

With our messed up weather patterns this year I'm not abiding by anything written.
My thermometer's are in the ground, I will plant when temps arrive at their suggested plantings.
Right now my plants are ready to be planted outside, however, my cold frame, and bed MM is reading 35 deg F..Mt tomato's and peppers will going in some where in the mid 60s.
I'll still be prepared to cover if needed.

**AtlantaMarie** 3/23/2014, 9:43 am

Bonnie - you might call your local Extension Service. They keep up w/ all of that and can give you a decent date.

The more I read, the more grateful I am to live in the South...! My last frost date is tax day, so it's easy to remember.

ImmahGardener 3/23/2014, 12:36 pm

Ok so on the almanac site it says my possible last frost date is May 14th. My growing season is 138. I am guessing that means i'll have 138 days to grow whatever i try to grow?

**Turan** 3/23/2014, 2:48 pm

ImmahGardener wrote:Ok so on the almanac site it says my possible last frost date is May 14th. My growing season is 138. I am guessing that means i'll have 138 days to grow whatever i try to grow?

Not really. The cool weather crops (broccoli, peas, greens, radishes etc) want to be planted any thing from a month to 2 months before the last frost date. Warm weather crops (squash, corn, tomatoes etc) need to be planted after the last frost.

**AtlantaMarie** 3/23/2014, 3:53 pm

Hi ImmahGardner. Welcome!

If you use floating row covers to hold off the frost, you may be able to extend it even more than what Turan is saying too. All you can do is try it. You'll be surprised by the amount of successes you'll have.

ImmahGardener 3/23/2014, 9:06 pm

Thank you both for the info you have provided, i do think i will use row covers to extend my season, and if i have to i will start the cold crops i have inside, though they'll probably die! I am not very good at indoor growing yet!! I have so very much to learn and it makes me happy to have a place like this to go to for advice! All of you on here are very helpful and eager to help out anyone in need! I sure do appreciate that! Confused on frost date 1666079590

Happy planting!!

**jimmy cee** 4/15/2014, 8:45 am

Today April 15th is zone 5 date for the last possible average frost...
Today April 15th is going way beyond a frost, 24 degrees tonight, that's a durnburn freezeeeeee

**AtlantaMarie** 4/15/2014, 8:58 am

Ouch, Jimmy Cee! I agree! We're also supposed to have an April 15 frost end date. It's supposed to get down to 34 or so tonight. But I'd rather have 34 than 24 ANY day!

Immah - glad to help. If you look at the gallery and thru some of the posts, you see several ideas for mini hoop houses like in the book. They end up being like mini greenhouses. That's what I'll be shooting for eventually.

**camprn** 4/15/2014, 9:33 am

jimmy cee wrote:Today April 15th is zone 5 date for the last possible average frost...
Today April 15th is going way beyond a frost, 24 degrees tonight, that's a durnburn freezeeeeee

Situation normal, but undesired. sobbing

jmsieglaff 4/15/2014, 10:09 am

This link on another garden site is a very good resource for first/last freeze/frost info:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/

You just put in your zip code and it gives you nearby stations with climate data.

For a station closest to my house the output looks like:

Temperature	10%	20%	30%	40%	50%	60%	70%	80%	90%
Spring 32°	May 16	May 11	May 8	May 5	May 2	Apr 30	Apr 27	Apr 24	Apr 19
Spring 28°	May 4	Apr 29	Apr 26	Apr 23	Apr 20	Apr 17	Apr 14	Apr 10	Apr 5
Spring 24°	Apr 24	Apr 19	Apr 16	Apr 13	Apr 10	Apr 7	Apr 4	Apr 1	Mar 27
Fall 32°	Sep 18	Sep 23	Sep 26	Sep 29	Oct 2	Oct 5	Oct 8	Oct 12	Oct 17
Fall 28°	Sep 22	Sep 28	Oct 2	Oct 6	Oct 9	Oct 12	Oct 16	Oct 20	Oct 26
Fall 24°	Oct 6	Oct 12	Oct 17	Oct 21	Oct 25	Oct 29	Nov 1	Nov 6	Nov 13

So 50% of the years I'll have frost through May 2. 80% or 4 in 5 years I'll have frost through April 24. 20% or 1 in 5 years I'll have frost through May 11.

It might be useful to use this data because on a lot information sources the average first/last frost dates is the 50% Spring 32F data, but when you find later dates for your location they are likely using the 10 or 20% dates.

**jimmy cee** 4/15/2014, 12:29 pm

jmsie
Thanks for that interesting and valuable item.
As I said, heck this aint no frost, it's a dangburn FREEZEEEEEE
I think I'm going to cover everything with 5 gallon buckets

jmsieglaff 4/15/2014, 12:38 pm

I had 19F this morning---18F @ the airport, which tied a record low for the day. I had radish and arugula seeds poking through the ground and onion seedlings out (the spinach and pea seeds hadn't poked out yet). They were covered with floating row covers, I'll see what damage when I get home tonight. I've had those things get into the mid 20s with no problems in the past--but 19F--we'll have to see about that.

**AtlantaMarie** 4/15/2014, 1:12 pm

Unfortunately, the closest data station to me is 45 min to 1 hour away and quite a bit north. But it helps. Thanks JM.

Got everything covered. Saw some tomatoes blooming too... Yipee...

**camprn** 4/15/2014, 1:18 pm

AtlantaMarie wrote:Unfortunately, the closest data station to me is 45 min to 1 hour away and quite a bit north. But it helps. Thanks JM.

Got everything covered. Saw some tomatoes blooming too... Yipee...

Is this close to you?
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=SUWANEE+%28USGA0548%29

**AtlantaMarie** 4/15/2014, 1:42 pm

Yes, thank you Camprn. This is about 15 miles south of me. MUCH closer.

Got everything covered. Saw some of the tomatoes are blooming too...

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Turan and AtlantaMarie, Thanks :-)

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