Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 17960 (New Ringgold, PA)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Hamburg, PA (10 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)189 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
Get The Dial for 17960 (New Ringgold)
Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 17960, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.
This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 52°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Mahantango Ck (38 mi), Avondale 2 N (58 mi).
4-inch depth
60°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Mahantango Ck (38 mi), Avondale 2 N (58 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 17960 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 60°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 25: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 2 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 16 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 3 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 9 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 25 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 7 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 30 | Oct 13 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 17960
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 16) and first fall frost (Oct 25). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 26–Apr 16 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 20 (transplant) Aug 16–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 20 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–30 (transplant) Jul 19–Aug 16 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 16 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–30 (transplant) Jul 19–Aug 16 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 5–26 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 27 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–23 (transplant) Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 26–Apr 23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–16 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 12–Apr 23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 13–27 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 26–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–16 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 13–Oct 11 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Sep 13–Oct 11 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 5–19 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 19–26 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 19–26 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Apr 23–30 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 5–19 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Mar 26–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Aug 16–Sep 13 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Hamburg, PA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00363632), elevation 369 ft, 10.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahanoy City 2 N, PA | 14 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 22 |
| Rodale Rsch Ctr, PA | 16 mi | Apr 26 | Oct 14 |
| Lehighton 1SSW, PA | 16 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 23 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 14 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 17960
When is the last frost in 17960?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 17960 is April 16. For a more cautious planting date, use May 3, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 17960?
The average first fall freeze is October 25. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 9.
What hardiness zone is 17960?
ZIP 17960 is in USDA zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 17960 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
18252 Tamaqua 19529 Kempton 17961 Orwigsburg 17982 Tuscarora 18211 17952 17925 18218 Coaldale
Other ZIP codes in Schuylkill County
17901 17921 17922 17923 17925 17929 17930 17931 17933 17934 17935 17936 17938 17941 17943 17944 17946 17948 17949 17951 17952 17953 17954 17957 All Schuylkill County frost dates · Pennsylvania frost dates
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.