Frost dates for Barren Rvr Lake, KY
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 12
typical year
Safe to plant
April 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 29
typical year
Growing season
198 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 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Onions | – | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Beets | – | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cabbage | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 17 – Oct 8 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 30 – Aug 20 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 7 – 14 | – |
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 30 | April 12 | March 27 |
| Fall frost before | October 16 | October 29 | November 11 |
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 31 (April 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 6.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BARREN RVR LAKE, KY US (USC00150422), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
42123, 42156, 42159
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.