Fall in zone 7aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 40536 (Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY)
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, Lexington Bluegrass AP, KY (5 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1350% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)196 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7a0 to 5°F avg. coldest night
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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 40536 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 May 29 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.
Your average first frost is Oct 28: 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) | Mar 30 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 13 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 1 |
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 16 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 28 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 8 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 24 | Oct 19 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 13 | Oct 28 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 31 | Nov 6 |
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 40536
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 13) and first fall frost (Oct 28). 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 16–Mar 2 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 2–16 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 2–16 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 23–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 16–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–23 (transplant) Aug 19–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–23 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 5–Sep 2 (transplant) Jul 22–Aug 19 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 16–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 5–Sep 2 (transplant) Jul 22–Aug 19 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 2–16 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 22–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 2–16 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 22–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Jul 22–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 8–29 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 19–Sep 2 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–30 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 16–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 20 (transplant) Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 19–Sep 2 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 19–Sep 2 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 23–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 5–19 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 9–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 16–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 19–Sep 2 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 23–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 16–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 5–19 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 19–Sep 2 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 8–22 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 16–23 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 16–23 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 16–23 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 16–23 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 16–23 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 2–16 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Apr 20–27 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 2–16 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 23–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (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: Lexington Bluegrass AP, KY (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00093820), elevation 980 ft, 5.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles 3 NNW, KY | 14 mi | Apr 12 | Oct 28 |
| Dix Dam, KY | 20 mi | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Eastern Kentucky Univ, KY | 22 mi | Apr 15 | Oct 22 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 8 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 40536
When is the last frost in 40536?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 40536 is April 13. For a more cautious planting date, use May 1, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 40536?
The average first fall freeze is October 28. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 16.
What hardiness zone is 40536?
ZIP 40536 is in USDA zone 7a (0 to 5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 40536 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
40526 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40507 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40502 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40508 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40504 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40503 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40517 Lexington-Fayette urban county 40505 Lexington-Fayette urban county
Other ZIP codes in Fayette County
40502 40503 40504 40505 40507 40508 40509 40510 40511 40513 40514 40515 40516 40517 40526 All Fayette County frost dates · Kentucky frost dates
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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.