When to plant in Fordyce, AR
Planting dates worked out from Fordyce's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 13
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Mar 28
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Nov 6
1 year in 10 by Oct 24
Frost-free days
219
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Fordyce · 1.6 km away · station 69 m, town 87 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 7 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 12 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Jan 24 – Jan 31 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 9 |
| Peas | — | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Apr 10 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | May 26 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 7 – Apr 18 | May 6 |
| Beet | — | Feb 28 – Apr 11 | Apr 19 |
| Potato | — | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | May 16 |
| Kale | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Apr 29 |
| Cucumber | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 2 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | May 28 |
| Winter squash | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jul 2 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jun 5 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | May 29 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 23 – Nov 20 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Mar 24 |
| Basil | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 9 |
Fordyce's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1912 | Mar 25 |
| 1913 | Mar 29 |
| 1914 | Mar 23 |
| 1915 | Mar 31 |
| 1916 | Apr 7 |
| 1917 | Mar 5 |
| 1937 | Mar 31 |
| 1938 | Apr 3 |
| 1939 | Mar 20 |
| 1942 | Mar 28 |
| 1943 | Mar 23 |
| 1944 | Mar 8 |
| 1945 | Mar 7 |
| 1946 | Feb 14 |
| 1947 | Mar 28 |
| 1948 | Mar 13 |
| 1952 | Mar 24 |
| 1953 | Apr 19 |
| 1957 | Apr 13 |
| 1962 | Apr 16 |
| 1963 | Mar 22 |
| 1964 | Apr 9 |
| 1965 | Mar 25 |
| 1966 | Mar 25 |
| 1967 | Mar 18 |
| 1968 | Mar 24 |
| 1969 | Mar 13 |
| 1970 | Mar 27 |
| 1971 | Apr 6 |
| 1972 | Mar 9 |
| 1973 | Apr 11 |
| 1974 | Mar 25 |
| 1975 | Apr 4 |
| 1976 | Mar 17 |
| 1981 | Mar 25 |
| 1982 | Apr 7 |
| 1983 | Apr 2 |
| 1984 | Mar 31 |
| 1985 | Mar 6 |
| 1986 | Mar 22 |
| 1990 | Jan 31 |
| 1991 | Mar 31 |
| 1992 | Apr 4 |
| 1993 | Mar 16 |
| 1995 | Apr 1 |
| 1996 | Apr 12 |
| 1997 | Apr 13 |
| 1998 | Mar 23 |
| 1999 | Mar 28 |
| 2000 | Apr 10 |
| 2001 | Mar 21 |
| 2002 | Mar 28 |
| 2003 | Apr 10 |
| 2004 | Mar 11 |
| 2005 | Mar 20 |
| 2006 | Mar 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 9 |
| 2008 | Apr 15 |
| 2009 | Apr 8 |
| 2010 | Mar 6 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Feb 26 |
| 2013 | Mar 28 |
| 2014 | Apr 16 |
| 2015 | Mar 8 |
| 2016 | Mar 22 |
| 2017 | Mar 16 |
| 2018 | Apr 16 |
| 2019 | Apr 3 |
| 2020 | Mar 7 |
| 2021 | Apr 2 |
| 2022 | Mar 13 |
| 2023 | Mar 21 |
| 2024 | Mar 20 |
| 2025 | Mar 22 |
| 2026 | Mar 18 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 218 |
| 1937 | 197 |
| 1938 | 218 |
| 1942 | 227 |
| 1943 | 229 |
| 1944 | 258 |
| 1945 | 259 |
| 1947 | 228 |
| 1948 | 218 |
| 1952 | 195 |
| 1953 | 200 |
| 1957 | 196 |
| 1962 | 201 |
| 1963 | 224 |
| 1964 | 224 |
| 1965 | 213 |
| 1966 | 222 |
| 1967 | 230 |
| 1968 | 232 |
| 1969 | 236 |
| 1970 | 233 |
| 1971 | 214 |
| 1972 | 257 |
| 1973 | 213 |
| 1974 | 234 |
| 1975 | 197 |
| 1976 | 214 |
| 1982 | 199 |
| 1983 | 221 |
| 1985 | 246 |
| 1986 | 235 |
| 1992 | 215 |
| 1993 | 219 |
| 1995 | 216 |
| 1996 | 204 |
| 1997 | 197 |
| 1998 | 227 |
| 1999 | 209 |
| 2000 | 181 |
| 2001 | 220 |
| 2002 | 223 |
| 2003 | 227 |
| 2004 | 259 |
| 2005 | 219 |
| 2006 | 211 |
| 2007 | 211 |
| 2008 | 195 |
| 2009 | 232 |
| 2010 | 237 |
| 2011 | 206 |
| 2012 | 244 |
| 2013 | 229 |
| 2014 | 199 |
| 2015 | 258 |
| 2016 | 235 |
| 2017 | 225 |
| 2018 | 207 |
| 2019 | 211 |
| 2020 | 267 |
| 2021 | 216 |
| 2022 | 219 |
| 2023 | 224 |
| 2024 | 257 |
| 2025 | 232 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1911 | 24.1 °C |
| 1914 | 24.4 °C |
| 1915 | 23.4 °C |
| 1937 | 24.8 °C |
| 1938 | 25.2 °C |
| 1939 | 25.2 °C |
| 1942 | 23.9 °C |
| 1943 | 25.5 °C |
| 1944 | 25.0 °C |
| 1945 | 23.9 °C |
| 1946 | 24.6 °C |
| 1947 | 24.7 °C |
| 1948 | 25.1 °C |
| 1952 | 22.8 °C |
| 1953 | 24.6 °C |
| 1954 | 25.7 °C |
| 1955 | 24.8 °C |
| 1957 | 23.8 °C |
| 1962 | 24.4 °C |
| 1963 | 24.6 °C |
| 1964 | 24.6 °C |
| 1965 | 24.2 °C |
| 1966 | 23.4 °C |
| 1967 | 23.4 °C |
| 1968 | 23.4 °C |
| 1969 | 23.9 °C |
| 1970 | 24.6 °C |
| 1971 | 23.7 °C |
| 1972 | 24.6 °C |
| 1973 | 23.4 °C |
| 1974 | 22.9 °C |
| 1976 | 21.9 °C |
| 1978 | 25.1 °C |
| 1981 | 23.0 °C |
| 1982 | 23.2 °C |
| 1985 | 23.5 °C |
| 1986 | 24.2 °C |
| 1987 | 24.6 °C |
| 1989 | 22.8 °C |
| 1990 | 24.1 °C |
| 1991 | 23.4 °C |
| 1992 | 21.9 °C |
| 1993 | 22.8 °C |
| 1995 | 23.0 °C |
| 1996 | 22.4 °C |
| 1997 | 21.7 °C |
| 1998 | 24.2 °C |
| 1999 | 22.8 °C |
| 2000 | 23.0 °C |
| 2001 | 23.3 °C |
| 2002 | 23.1 °C |
| 2003 | 22.7 °C |
| 2004 | 22.4 °C |
| 2005 | 23.3 °C |
| 2006 | 23.4 °C |
| 2007 | 23.0 °C |
| 2008 | 22.7 °C |
| 2009 | 22.5 °C |
| 2010 | 25.1 °C |
| 2011 | 24.4 °C |
| 2012 | 24.4 °C |
| 2013 | 23.0 °C |
| 2014 | 22.4 °C |
| 2015 | 24.0 °C |
| 2016 | 23.9 °C |
| 2017 | 23.0 °C |
| 2018 | 23.8 °C |
| 2019 | 23.8 °C |
| 2020 | 22.6 °C |
| 2021 | 22.7 °C |
| 2022 | 23.8 °C |
| 2023 | 23.4 °C |
| 2024 | 23.9 °C |
| 2026 | 25.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1912, Fordyce's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Fordyce (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.