Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 25873 (MacArthur, WV)
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, Beckley Va Hospital, WV (1 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)156 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 25873, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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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
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 25873 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring early March to early April; fall late August to mid-September.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Transition zone. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Jun 21 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
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 22 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 6 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 23 |
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) | Sep 28 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 10 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 22 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 6 | Oct 10 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 25 | Oct 20 |
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 25873
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 6) and first fall frost (Oct 10). 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 | Mar 11–25 | May 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 25–Mar 11 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 25–Mar 11 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 11–25 | May 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 11–25 | Apr 15–May 6 (transplant) Apr 8–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–Sep 5 (transplant) Aug 1–29 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 25–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Jul 18–Aug 15 (transplant) Jul 4–Aug 1 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 11–25 | Apr 8–May 6 (transplant) Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Jul 18–Aug 15 (transplant) Jul 4–Aug 1 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 4–Aug 1 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 4–Aug 1 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jul 4–Aug 1 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jun 20–Jul 11 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 1–15 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–29 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–Sep 12 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–29 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Apr 22–May 13 (transplant) Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 1–15 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 1–15 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 15–May 13 (sow outdoors) | Jul 18–Aug 1 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Apr 1–May 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 29–Sep 12 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 1–15 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 15–May 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 11–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Jul 18–Aug 1 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 1–15 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 29–Sep 26 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Aug 29–Sep 26 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jun 20–Jul 4 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 27–Jun 17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 8–15 | May 13–27 (transplant) May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 8–15 | May 13–27 (transplant) May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 8–15 | May 13–27 (transplant) May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 8–15 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 8–15 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 11–25 | May 13–20 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 13–27 (transplant) May 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–29 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) Apr 15–May 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 15–29 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 1–29 (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: Beckley Va Hospital, WV (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00460580), elevation 2,330 ft, 1.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley Raleigh Co AP, WV | 5 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 21 |
| Mullens 3 E, WV | 13 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
| Oak Hill, WV | 16 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 19 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 16 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 25873
When is the last frost in 25873?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 25873 is May 6. For a more cautious planting date, use May 23, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 25873?
The average first fall freeze is October 10. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 28.
What hardiness zone is 25873?
ZIP 25873 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 25873 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
25871 Mabscott 25911 Raleigh 25827 Crab Orchard 25878 25849 Glen White 25851 25932 25836 Eccles
Other ZIP codes in Raleigh County
25007 25008 25044 25048 25060 25062 25140 25174 25180 25801 25811 25813 25817 25818 25823 25825 25827 25832 25836 25839 25843 25844 25849 25851 All Raleigh County frost dates · West Virginia frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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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.