Find your planting zone, frost dates, and planting calendar in two clicks.
Choose your state and region above to see your USDA hardiness zone, your average last spring frost date, your average first fall frost date, and a planting calendar made for your area.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the country into zones based on the average coldest winter temperature. Zone 1 is the coldest, in interior Alaska, and Zone 13 is the warmest, in Puerto Rico. For vegetable gardening, your zone tells you how cold your winters get and gives you a feel for how long your growing season is.
To look up your exact zone by zip code, use the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map was updated in 2023, and many areas moved half a zone warmer.
This is the average date of the last spring frost in your area. It is your green light for planting warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, and zucchini outdoors. Cool-season crops like lettuce, peas, and spinach can go in the ground four to six weeks before this date.
This is the average date of the first fall frost. Count backward from it when you plan a fall vegetable garden, since most cool-season crops need six to ten weeks to mature before the first frost. It also tells you when to bring tender plants indoors or have frost protection ready.
Frost dates are based on years of weather records, so they are averages, not guarantees. In any year, frost can come a few weeks earlier or later. Watch the forecast, and keep row covers handy for a late spring frost.