Frost dates for Leonardtown, MD
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
March 22
typical year
Safe to plant
April 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 26
typical year
Growing season
248 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 | – | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 22 – Apr 5 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Beets | – | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Kale | Jan 11 – 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 8 – 22 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Cabbage | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 15 – Nov 5 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 5 – Sep 17 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Basil | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 19 | – |
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 5 | March 22 | March 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 10 | November 26 | December 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 10 (March 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 9.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Leonardtown
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SOLOMONS, MD US (USC00188405), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
20615, 20619, 20620, 20629, 20634, 20636, 20650, 20657, 20685, 20688
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.