Disclaimer

Updated October 11, 2026.

Frost dates are climate normals

Frost dates are 1991–2020 climate normals from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. A median last-freeze date describes that station’s record. A warm or cold year can fall outside the 10% and 90% dates. The forecast for a particular night comes from the National Weather Service.

Zones describe a ZIP code

The hardiness zone is the 2023 USDA value for a ZIP code. A city page names the ZIP and the distance from the city point used. Yards in the same ZIP can sit in different cold pockets. The zone is the average annual extreme minimum for that ZIP.

Planting windows come from the cited guide

A crop window names the extension publication and links it. When a guide gives weeks around a frost date and does not name a 10%, 50%, or 90% level, those weeks are applied to the median date, and the page says so. The fall calculator and the seed countdown use the numbers you enter, set against the station date you can see. The guide’s own window, when one is printed, is the extension recommendation.

Your garden still has its own conditions

Variety, soil, water, and this season’s forecast sit alongside the median date. The linked guide and your county extension office are the local references for a specific bed.

Questions: hello@plantingdatefinder.com.