Last Spring Frost Date is Fast Approaching

With all the mild weather the past couple of days it may be a little tempting to get a head start in the garden.  And while some plants may be able to handle temperatures that fall below 32°, it might be a good idea to wait at least another week or so. 

While the actual date will vary from year to year, the average last spring frost usually occurs anywhere between the 21st and 28th of April.  Now for tender plants you may want to add on about two weeks to that date.  Open, grassy surfaces are usually the first to experience frost while locations that sit under trees are more protected because the tree helps keep the heat from escaping.

It's not unusal to see farmers out in the fields by the middle of April.  I was talking with my dad the other night (who used to be a dairy farmer) and he said back in the day the rule of thumb was to be out in the field by the middle of May.  Now because crop seeds have improved over the recent years they have gotten a little better to withstand cooler temperatures, so sometimes you'll see the tractors in the fields before May.  One of our viewers, Dom Castaldo, also noted that because the growing part of corn is below the ground it can usually survive colder weather.  On the other hand, soybeans have the growing area above ground so a frost would likely kill a soybean plant.  He also says the key to planting is soil temperature.  Soil must be 52° before corn will germinate.  Soybeans need a warmer soil temperature.