You can’t rely on a set date each year to step out into your garden and get planting. The weather has a thing or two to say about it. That’s why amateur and professional gardeners rely on The Old Farmer's Almanac for the safe date to plant their garden.
To help you plan ahead this year, the publication’s 2026 Last Frost Date Map has been revealed. It helps identify whether this year’s last spring frost is likely to be earlier, about the same, or later than the long-term norm. Combining long-range weather forecasts with 30-year historical frost averages shows how 2026 may deviate from the average.
How much does the range vary? The Old Farmer’s Almanac reports that most differences are slight, between one and two weeks of the normal range. However, a few days can make a big difference to your schedule in keeping your plants safe from frost damage.
The 2026 frost map is divided into three color categories to indicate whether the last frost date will be one to two weeks earlier than normal (green), within one week of the average (yellow), or one to two weeks later than usual (blue).
Here is a breakdown of the map’s three categories and what they mean for your region.
Green: Frost dates earlier than usual
The frost dates are expected to be one to two weeks earlier than usual across the Northeast and Atlantic Corridor, including Boston, much of New England, New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia.
The Southeast, across the Carolinas and eastern Georgia, can also expect a longer planting window this spring. And it also includes those in the Ohio Valley, especially Kentucky and much of Indiana.
Parts of Missouri and Kansas, Oklahoma City, and low-elevation regions of California and the desert will also benefit from a few extra weeks of planting.
However, you should still expect a few brief cold snaps, so prepare to protect your plants with row covers, cloches or cold frames.
Yellow: Frost dates within the normal range
The Appalachians, parts of Ohio and West Virginia, and the Deep South won’t see much change from the norm. It’s the same for the Upper Midwest, although the northern tips will expect a later than usual last frost. The Lower Lakes across Michigan, and the Great Lakes cities, including Chicago, northern Iowa, and central parts of Oklahoma City, are also in the yellow category.
The High Plains, across Nebraska, northern Colorado, and the Dakotas, and Seattle, Portland and the coastal zones across the Pacific Northwest will also experience normal last frost dates.
Blue: Frost dates later than the norm
If you live in Florida, especially in the central areas near Orlando, you can expect a frost date up to two weeks later than usual. The same applies to the northernmost parts of the Upper Midwest and to the southern areas of Texas near San Antonio, Idaho, eastern Oregon and Washington, northern Utah and Nevada, and northern Montana.
Late frosts increase the risk of plant damage, so wait until the soil and nights warm up, or switch to raised beds during this time.
An alternative way to check if it's the right time to plant
Apart from relying on The Old Farmer’s Almanac last frost map, you can also check your soil temperature before you plant.
Cool-season crops, such as peas, spinach and radishes, require a soil temperature of at least 40°F.
Intermediate crops, such as beets, carrots, onions and Swiss chard, are best planted when the soil reaches 50°F.
Warm-season crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and melons, require soil temperatures of 60°F.
