Determining when to plant in the spring can be harder than predicting the ups and downs of the stock market. Part science and part superstition, deciding when to plant is the biggest decision of the year if you farm for a living. For the rest of us, it usually just means a little extra work and another stop at the nursery if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Each region of the country is different, and even within a specific area there may be large fluctuations due to factors like altitude and terrain. That said, the average date of the last spring frost and recommended times to put out summer plants like tomatoes and corn in the lower 48 states are given below.

Region	Average Last Freeze	Plant Summer Garden
Gulf Coast	February 1 – March 1	March 1 – April 1
Southeast	March 1 – April 1	March 15 – April 15
Midwest	April 1 – May 1	April 7 – May 7
North	May 1 – June 1	May 15 – June 15

For more detailed information, check out the maps on these websites:

• NOAA Freeze/Frost Maps
• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
• Avant-Gardening US Frost Zone Map
• Better Homes & Gardens Spring Frost Zone Map

Tags: , Better Homes and Gardens, spring

5 Comments on “How to Determine Spring Planting Time for Your Garden”

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1. Matt Thorn Says:
   April 1st, 2010 at 12:44 pm

   I know there are several plants that repel insects naturally for around the patio. I’d love to know what they are and when to plant them.

2. Phillip Says:
   February 21st, 2011 at 7:31 pm

   Citronella (mosquitos) , marigolds,African Blue Basil,Rosemary, mints and or anise oil/licorice (fennel) bearing plants…most herbs will give off aromatic as well as insect repelling aromas…if need be crush a few leaves to release the essential oils into the atmosphere, the atomization of the oils will aid in the repelling process. Tiki torches w/citronella oil are effective and somewhat romantic. Experiment until you discover what woks best for you. Good Luck

3. Sherry Says:
   March 19th, 2011 at 7:23 am

   Soil temperature, soil temperature, soil temperature. That’s the best way to figure out when to plant…

4. 

   Ben Erickson Says:
   March 19th, 2011 at 4:03 pm

   Hi Sherry,
   Good point! You might want to check out our article on How to Measure Soil Temperature for Planting and our video on How to Test Soil Temperature in Your Garden.

5. John Says:
   March 29th, 2011 at 8:38 am

   Thanks for the info! Very helpful

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