If you’re a new home gardener, you’ve seen planting instructions on all those seed packets you want to buy that say things like, “Direct sow 2-4 weeks before your average last frost date,” or “Transplant outside after danger of last frost has passed and until the first fall frost.” These phrases sounds like code when you’re starting out, but there’s no need to get tripped up! By figuring out your first and last frost dates, as well as your hardiness zone, you can lessen your frustration and set yourself up for a successful first (or second) season getting your new garden off the ground.

At its most basic, our first and last frost dates are crucial because we don’t want our beautiful tomato or zucchini babes to perish after fluctuating temperatures or a sudden cold spell overnight. If you live in a place with distinct seasons, as I do, your last frost date will help determine when you plant certain veggies, herbs, and flowers outside, whether as small seedling “transplants” or by directly sowing seeds in the soil.

1. What are Frost Dates?

• “Last frost date” refers to the last day in the spring where there’s a chance of frost or light freezing.
• “First frost date” refers to the first day in the fall when there’s a real chance of frost and/or temperatures dipping below freezing.

2. How Do I Find My Dates?

To find the first and last frost dates for your location, you can search by zip code using a resource like The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Once you’ve determined your average dates, keep in mind that these dates are just that, an average. The Almanac says my last frost date is April 22nd, which to me is a bit early. Still be smart and stay attuned to your environment and local forecast. When I’m anxious to get another veggie or herb going outside, I try to watch my NOAA forecast for the week ahead, or longer.

3. What’s a Hardiness Zone?

In looking up your frost dates, you will also come across the phrase “hardiness zone.” Think of your hardiness zone as the general confines of the growing season and what’s smart to plant in your locale, based more broadly on whether or not a plant will thrive, or be totally out of its element. For example, I live in Zone 6, and so I know that my growing season is roughly March through October. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (pictured below) is an easy resource for finding your hardiness zone by zip code or state, and you’ll see that the map is based on the “average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones.”

I think of this as a “How far can I push it?” rough guide to what will do well in my own backyard garden. While you can guess that you’re not going to be planting tropical bromeliads outside if you live in Upstate New York, planting guides by hardiness zones are great resources if you’re unsure what will do well in your region.

You may see similar, simpler renditions of this map on the back of some seed packets, like those from Seeds of Change. I’ve always appreciated having the map right on the seed packet, because when I’m standing in front of a gorgeous display and am wanting to grow all the things(!), it’s helpful to know if something should have been planted a month ago where I live. This was more of an issue when I was new to gardening about five years ago. I would go to Home Depot in June wanting to grow crisp kale, which never quite worked. That is, until I learned the rhythm of my local growing season.

4. In Planning Your Garden, Make Your Frost Dates and Hardiness Zone Work for You

My first couple years of trying to grow leafy greens were marked with promising starts, and then frizzled, dead sprouts soon after. Poor little guys never stood a chance. What was I doing wrong? Turns out, if you want to grow lettuce or kale seeds directly in your garden bed, you need to do that in like, March or April where I live. Not mid-June when you’ve decided you’re a small farmer now.

If you’ve already started your garden for this season, there’s still time to map out a few plantings for your best chances of success. And if you’re planning to begin next season, you’ll be in even better shape! Below are five common home garden veggies, and when to get them in a raised bed or container:

• Tomatoes – Plant seedlings outside after danger of last Spring frost has passed, or start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last Spring frost (more on starting seeds indoors in a later post)
• Cucumbers – Direct sow seeds after last Spring frost date, or start indoors a few weeks before your last frost date
• Green Beans – Direct sow seeds after last Spring frost date, or start indoors a few weeks before your last frost date
• Peas – Direct sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked in the Spring, well before your last Spring frost date
• Leafy Greens (lettuce, kale, etc.) – Direct sow seeds outdoors well before your last frost date, as these dudes love the cool weather. Sow again at the end of the summer or early fall for autumn greens. Kale actually gets sweeter with a touch of light frost! I’ve noticed my greens perk up after a cool night when I had though they were goners, so keep this in mind.

5. Start a Garden Journal and Record Everything!

I’m still working on my own discipline in journaling, but that won’t stop me from telling you to do it too. Plan as you might, your gardening adventure will be marked by surprises and missteps, with both rewarding and frustrating results. Taking notes, drawing quick sketches, and recording your own data will be an invaluable resource as you grow into a confident home gardener. Being able to reference your own experiences, results, and thought processes is something you can’t look up in an online database or a seed company’s website. I also mark the date planted on my container labels, and honestly, sometimes I go back in my Instagram feed to see when I posted about planting a particular veggie or herb.

While I’m over here catching up on my own journaling, I encourage you to think about what you love to cook with, and what time of year those veggies and herbs would be most comfortable growing in your garden. Look up your first and last frost dates based on your zip code, as well as your hardiness zone. Make an outline of where your favorites fit in with the cycle of the year, and watch your garden grow in the months to come!