Frost dates for Smithland L&D, IL
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 3
typical year
Safe to plant
April 21
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 30
typical year
Growing season
207 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Sep 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 6 – 27 | Sep 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Sep 18 – Oct 2 |
| Onions | – | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Mar 6 – 20 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Kale | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 6 – 20 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Cabbage | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 18 – Oct 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 28 – May 12 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 21 – May 12 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 21 – May 19 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 21 – May 12 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 21 – Aug 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 21 – May 19 | – |
| Basil | Mar 17 – 31 | Apr 28 – May 5 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 21 | April 3 | March 18 |
| Fall frost before | October 17 | October 30 | November 12 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 23 (April 9 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 8.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Calvert City, KY, Salem, KY, Smithland, KY
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SMITHLAND L&D, IL US (USC00118020), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
42028, 42029, 42047, 42058, 42078, 42081, 42083, 62910
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.