The USDA has updated their zone map, if you want to look up your zip code, here is the link and I am now in zone 8a.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda...

I added a version of that link to my soignature block: jump directly to the "by ZIP code" page.

NOAA also has a "Freeze/Frost" date page, but I needed to look up my losest weather station to use it. It's a little more work, but there are two other links in my sig that let you dig out your local first and last frost dates.

AVERAGE dates, of course!

Thanks Rick!! I think I would like to check that out, do you have a link for us?

These are clickable links, or should be:

USDA Hardiness Zone by ZIP code
Locate USDA Weather Station ~~ (NOAA seems to be updating this page right now)
Freeze/Frost Dates ~~
Sunset Climate Zones ~~


Let's see if this untangles them from the "BB codes" ...

http://planthardiness.ars.usda...
USDA Hardiness Zone by ZIP code

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/cl...
Locate USDA Weather Station
(NOAA seems to be updating this page right now:
"Currently undergoing maintenance and upgrades.
We are working to restore access as soon as possible.
We apologize for any inconvenience.")

http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-b...
Freeze/Frost Dates


Don't forget this alternative to USDA Zones:

http://www.sunset.com/garden/c...
Sunset Climate Zones ~~

Please let me know if the links don't work!

Ok, under the freeze frost dates, I am closest to Norfolk International, so there are three temps there for spring. I am having a problem reading the probability score. How do you see it? Are they giving me a percentage like 10 or 90% probably? If so then is it a probably that it will or that it won't?

Thanks very much for the links, this is very informative.

Gotta run now, will try more tongiht

I think the 50% dates are:

36 F April 6 - tender
32 F March 20 - frost
28 F March 4 - hard freeze

Sorry, had to run.

(1) Probability of later date in spring (thru Jul 31) than indicated.
(2) Probability of earlier date in fall (beginning Aug 1) than indicated.
(3) Probability of longer than indicated freeze free period.
(4) Probability of Freeze/Frost in the yearly period (percent of days with temperatures at or below the threshold temperature).

There's a 90% chance you'll have a 32F frost after March 3.
There's a 50% chance of HARD frost after March 4

There's a 50% chance of a 32F frost after March 20
There's a 10% chance of HARD frost after March 22

There's a 10% chance of A 32F frost after April 7

Thank you Rick, that is what I thought but I wanted to be sure. So I am pretty safe after April 7 or 10% chance of being safe anyways.

I think you've got it right but said it wrong: 90% chance of being safe from frost after April 7. 10% chance of a late, light frost.

It might well go below 36F, but only one chance in 10 of a 32 degree frost.

I usually take April 7 or so as my 50% chance of frost date. March always gets to me, becuase we often have WEEKS of quite warm weather in February and sometimes even January. I've been feeling the warmth and getting over confiodent ... then like this year: more snow and frost in March than in Jan and Feb!

My ambition is to build some small, portable frames for little hoop tunnels. First use them to warm and dry the soil in some rasied beds, then shelter the seeds and seedlings so I can use all of the unsettled weather in march, plus some of February.

Who knows. maybe I'll find things I can overwinter in the ground under a little plastic. My Italian leaf broccoli just overwintered with no more care than my occasional words of awe and encouragement. Nice to have something dark green and helathy all winter!

Thanks very much for your input. I do have a lot of stuff wintersown and it needs to be potted up now and no where to put them. Seems like a mini hoop house would be real nice right now.

A google search of "university of virginia freeze frost dates" brings up this page. http://climate.virginia.edu/Yo... and this pdf http://climate.virginia.edu/VA...

Here's mine: "university of massachusetts freeze frost dates" http://extension.umass.edu/lan...

Thanks Evan, see if I am reading this right. At Norfolk International there is only a 10% chance that I will see temps @ or below 32 after April 7?

Nice link by-the-way.

That's how I read it Susan. Lucky you, my equivalent is May 23.

My guess is most gardeners can find their Freeze/Frost date by doing a similar Google search just by substituting there state university or agi school.

Oh, yeah no wonder you are in zone 6! Actually I have a farmers almanac, that worked out pretty well last year but this year there is so much junk in the thing I cannot find the important stuff, when did they start putting recipes in there?

I noticed that about the Almanac. Very difficult to navigate around in it anymore.

Damn yanks.