Gardening in Missouri
From Sugar Mountain
October Gardening, A Frost Chart
As fall approaches, frost also approaches in our area of the country, as well as in many other areas. Below is a frost chart that will give you an idea of how long you have to harvest what's left of your garden, those last tomatoes, pumpkins, etc.
The Frost Chart
| DATES GIVEN are normal averages for a light freeze
(32 degrees F); local weather and topography may cause considerable variations.
The possibility of frost occurring after the spring dates and before the
fall dates is 50 percent. The classification of freeze temperatures is
usually based on their effect on plants, with the following commonly accepted
categories:
Light freeze: 29 degrees F to 32 degrees F -- tender plants killed, with little destructive effect on other vegetation. Moderate freeze: 25 degrees F to 28 degrees F -- widely destructive effect on most vegetation, with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender and semihardy plants. Severe freeze: 24 degrees F and colder -- damage to most plants. |
| City, State | Growing Season
(Length in Days) |
Last Frost
Spring |
First Frost
Fall |
|
| Mobile, AL | 272 | Feb. 27 | Nov. 26 | |
| Juneau, AK | 133 | May 16 | Sept. 26 | |
| Phoenix, AZ | 308 | Feb. 5 | Dec. 15 | |
| Tucson, AZ | 273 | Feb. 28 | Nov. 29 | |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 234 | Mar. 19 | Nov. 8 | |
| Eureka, CA | 324 | Jan. 30 | Dec. 15 | |
| Sacramento, CA | 289 | Feb. 14 | Dec. 1 | |
| San Francisco, CA | * | * | * | |
| Denver, CO | 157 | May 3 | Oct. 8 | |
| Hartford, CT | 167 | Apr. 25 | Oct. 10 | |
| Wilmington, DE | 198 | Apr. 13 | Oct. 29 | |
| Miami, FL | * | * | * | |
| Tampa, FL | 338 | Jan. 28 | Jan. 3 | |
| Athens, GA | 224 | Mar. 28 | Nov. 8 | |
| Savannah, GA | 250 | Mar. 10 | Nov. 15 | |
| Boise, ID | 153 | May 8 | Oct. 9 | |
| Chicago, IL | 187 | Apr. 22 | Oct. 26 | |
| Springfield, IL | 185 | Apr. 17 | Oct. 19 | |
| Indianapolis, IN | 180 | Apr. 22 | Oct. 20 | |
| South Bend, IN | 169 | May 1 | Oct. 18 | |
| Atlantic, IA | 141 | May 9 | Sept. 28 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 161 | Apr. 29 | Oct. 7 | |
| Topeka, KS | 175 | Apr. 21 | Oct. 14 | |
| Lexington, KY | 190 | Apr. 17 | Oct. 25 | |
| Monroe, LA | 242 | Mar. 9 | Nov. 7 | |
| New Orleans, LA | 288 | Feb. 20 | Dec. 5 | |
| Portland, ME | 143 | May 10 | Sept. 30 | |
| Baltimore, MD | 231 | Mar. 26 | Nov. 13 | |
| Worcester, MA | 172 | Apr. 27 | Oct. 17 | |
| Lansing, MI | 140 | May 13 | Sept. 30 | |
| Marquette, MI | 159 | May 12 | Oct. 19 | |
| Duluth, MN | 122 | May 21 | Sept. 21 | |
| Willmar, MN | 152 | May 4 | Oct. 4 | |
| Columbus, MS | 215 | Mar. 27 | Oct. 29 | |
| Vicksburg, MS | 250 | Mar. 13 | Nov. 18 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | 173 | Apr. 26 | Oct. 16 | |
| Fort Peck, MT | 146 | May 5 | Sept. 28 | |
| Helena, MT | 122 | May 18 | Sept. 18 | |
| Blair, NE | 165 | Apr. 27 | Oct. 10 | |
| North Platte, NE | 136 | May 11 | Sept. 24 | |
| Las Vegas, NV | 259 | Mar. 7 | Nov. 21 | |
| Concord, NH | 121 | May 23 | Sept. 22 | |
| Newark, NJ | 219 | Apr. 4 | Nov. 10 | |
| Carlsbad, NM | 223 | Mar. 29 | Nov. 7 | |
| Los Alamos, NM | 157 | May 8 | Oct. 13 | |
| Albany, NY | 144 | May 7 | Sept. 29 | |
| Syracuse, NY | 170 | Apr. 28 | Oct. 16 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | 212 | Apr. 2 | Oct. 31 | |
| Bismarck, ND | 129 | May 14 | Sept. 20 | |
| Akron, OH | 168 | May 3 | Oct. 18 | |
| Cincinnati, OH | 195 | Apr. 14 | Oct. 27 | |
| Lawton, OK | 217 | Apr. 1 | Nov. 5 | |
| Tulsa, OK | 218 | Mar. 30 | Nov. 4 | |
| Pendleton, OR | 188 | Apr. 15 | Oct. 21 | |
| Portland, OR | 217 | Apr. 3 | Nov. 7 | |
| Carlisle, PA | 182 | Apr. 20 | Oct. 20 | |
| Williamsport, PA | 168 | Apr. 29 | Oct. 15 | |
| Kingston, RI | 144 | May 8 | Sept. 30 | |
| Charleston, SC | 253 | Mar. 11 | Nov. 20 | |
| Columbia, SC | 211 | Apr. 4 | Nov. 2 | |
| Rapid City, SD | 145 | May 7 | Sept. 29 | |
| Memphis, TN | 228 | Mar. 23 | Nov. 7 | |
| Nashville, TN | 207 | Apr. 5 | Oct. 29 | |
| Amarillo, TX | 197 | Apr. 14 | Oct. 29 | |
| Denton, TX | 231 | Mar. 25 | Nov. 12 | |
| San Antonio, TX | 265 | Mar. 3 | Nov. 24 | |
| Cedar City, UT | 134 | May 20 | Oct. 2 | |
| Spanish Fork, UT | 156 | May 8 | Oct. 12 | |
| Burlington, VT | 142 | May 11 | Oct. 1 | |
| Norfolk, VA | 239 | Mar. 23 | Nov. 17 | |
| Richmond, VA | 198 | Apr. 10 | Oct. 26 | |
| Seattle, WA | 232 | Mar. 24 | Nov. 11 | |
| Spokane, WA | 153 | May 4 | Oct. 5 | |
| Parkersburg, WV | 175 | Apr. 25 | Oct. 18 | |
| Green Bay, WI | 143 | May 12 | Oct. 2 | |
| Janesville, WI | 164 | Apr. 28 | Oct. 10 | |
| Casper, WY | 123 | May 22 | Sept. 22 |