Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 70129 (New Orleans, LA)
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, Slidell, LA (13 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)281 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°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 70129 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 late January to mid-February (south Florida: earlier; check local soil temps); fall October to early November.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Gulf Coast and peninsular Florida. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- St. Augustinegrass (warm-season): Spring: About 2–3 weeks after full green-up (May in the Carolinas; earlier in Florida and south Texas) (about Apr 4 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Light feedings June–August where local rules allow; Last: No later than about mid-September in the Carolinas, about 6–8 weeks before first frost elsewhere. Avoid: Feeding before green-up or late in fall (feeds weeds and favors large patch and cold injury).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Sep 22–Oct 20
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 6–27
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 6–27
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Dec 1: 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) | Jan 29 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 24 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 19 |
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) | Nov 9 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 1 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 3 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 12 | Nov 16 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 24 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 4 | Dec 26 |
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 70129
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 24) and first fall frost (Dec 1). 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 | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 16–30 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 16–30 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Feb 3–24 (transplant) Jan 27–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–27 (transplant) Sep 22–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 13–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–27 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Jan 27–Feb 24 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 24 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 16–30 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 16–30 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 16–30 | Feb 10–24 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 2–16 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 30–Jan 13 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 27–Feb 24 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 27–Feb 17 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 13–27 | Feb 10–Mar 3 (transplant) Feb 10–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 27–Feb 24 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 3–Mar 3 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 20–Mar 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 27–Feb 17 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 30–Jan 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 2–16 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 13–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 2–16 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 13–27 (transplant) | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Aug 11–25 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 17–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 27–Feb 3 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 27–Feb 3 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 27–Feb 3 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 27–Feb 3 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 27–Feb 3 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 13–27 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) Mar 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 2–16 | Mar 3–10 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 13–27 | Mar 3–17 (transplant) Mar 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 10–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 16–30 | Feb 10–24 (transplant) Feb 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 24–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 24–Mar 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (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.
Plants that do well here
Louisiana has a university or garden plant program: Louisiana Super Plants. Plant frost-tender annuals after February 24 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Slidell, LA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00168539), elevation 10 ft, 13.0 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Lakefront AP, LA | 13 mi | Jan 22 | Jan 5 (next year) |
| Chalmette, LA | 14 mi | Feb 10 | Dec 17 |
| St Bernard, LA | 14 mi | Feb 4 | Dec 15 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 33 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 70129
When is the last frost in 70129?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 70129 is February 24. For a more cautious planting date, use March 19, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 70129?
The average first fall freeze is December 1. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 9.
What hardiness zone is 70129?
ZIP 70129 is in USDA zone 9b (25 to 30°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 70129 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
70128 New Orleans 70127 New Orleans 70461 70075 Meraux 70043 Chalmette 70458 Slidell 70126 New Orleans 70092 Violet
Other ZIP codes in Orleans Parish
70112 70113 70114 70115 70116 70117 70118 70119 70122 70124 70125 70126 70127 70128 70130 70131 70139 70148 70163 All Orleans Parish frost dates · Louisiana 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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- 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.