Frost dates for ZIP 45688 (Lawrence County, OH)
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, Waterloo, OH (4 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)167 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 17, 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 45688 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 15 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 15 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 30 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 16 |
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 3 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 15 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 27 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 8 | Oct 5 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 30 | Oct 15 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 18 | Oct 25 |
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 45688
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 30) and first fall frost (Oct 15). 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 5–19 | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 19–Mar 5 | May 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 19–Mar 5 | May 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 5–19 | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 5–19 | Apr 9–30 (transplant) Apr 2–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 10 (transplant) Aug 6–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Jul 23–Aug 20 (transplant) Jul 9–Aug 6 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–30 (transplant) Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Jul 23–Aug 20 (transplant) Jul 9–Aug 6 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 9–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 9–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 9–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jun 25–Jul 16 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 16–May 7 (transplant) Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 6–20 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 6–20 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 9–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 23–Aug 6 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 26–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Jul 23–Aug 6 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 6–20 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 3–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Sep 3–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jun 25–Jul 9 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 21–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 2–9 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 2–9 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 19–Apr 2 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 5–19 | May 7–14 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 19–Apr 2 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 6–Sep 3 (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: Waterloo, OH (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00338810), elevation 625 ft, 4.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth-sciotoville, OH | 19 mi | Apr 17 | Oct 25 |
| Ashland, KY | 20 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 23 |
| Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam, WV | 20 mi | Apr 18 | Oct 29 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 13 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 45688
When is the last frost in 45688?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 45688 is April 30. For a more cautious planting date, use May 16, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 45688?
The average first fall freeze is October 15. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 3.
What hardiness zone is 45688?
ZIP 45688 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 45688 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
45658 45659 45682 South Webster 45696 45656 Oak Hill 45645 45678 45677
Other ZIP codes in Lawrence County
45619 45638 45645 45659 45669 45678 45680 45696 All Lawrence County frost dates · Ohio frost dates
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