When to plant in Ashland, KY
Planting dates worked out from Ashland's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 20
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 30
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 5
Frost-free days
168
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Ashland · 3.5 km away · station 171 m, town 168 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 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 14 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 19 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 12 |
| Peas | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | May 13 |
| Bush beans | — | May 13 – Jun 3 | Jul 2 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Jun 8 |
| Beet | — | Apr 2 – May 14 | May 22 |
| Potato | — | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Jun 18 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jun 1 |
| Cucumber | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 9 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 4 |
| Winter squash | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 8 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 13 – Jun 3 | Jul 12 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jul 1 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 1 – Oct 29 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Apr 26 |
| Basil | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 16 |
Ashland'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 |
|---|---|
| 1897 | Apr 20 |
| 1898 | Apr 28 |
| 1920 | Apr 13 |
| 1921 | Apr 18 |
| 1922 | Apr 24 |
| 1923 | Apr 18 |
| 1924 | Apr 23 |
| 1925 | Apr 7 |
| 1926 | Apr 27 |
| 1927 | Apr 25 |
| 1928 | Apr 26 |
| 1929 | Apr 23 |
| 1930 | Apr 25 |
| 1931 | Apr 28 |
| 1932 | Apr 15 |
| 1933 | Apr 27 |
| 1934 | Apr 28 |
| 1935 | Apr 17 |
| 1936 | Apr 23 |
| 1937 | Apr 12 |
| 1938 | Apr 10 |
| 1939 | Apr 14 |
| 1940 | Apr 28 |
| 1941 | Apr 3 |
| 1942 | Apr 21 |
| 1943 | Apr 22 |
| 1944 | Apr 13 |
| 1945 | Apr 19 |
| 1946 | Apr 13 |
| 1947 | May 11 |
| 1948 | Apr 4 |
| 1949 | Apr 21 |
| 1950 | Apr 22 |
| 1951 | Apr 18 |
| 1952 | Apr 8 |
| 1953 | Apr 20 |
| 1954 | May 11 |
| 1955 | Apr 9 |
| 1956 | Apr 23 |
| 1957 | Apr 15 |
| 1958 | Apr 30 |
| 1959 | Mar 28 |
| 1960 | Apr 11 |
| 1962 | Apr 24 |
| 1963 | May 11 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1965 | Apr 15 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | Apr 29 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | May 1 |
| 1970 | May 8 |
| 1971 | May 5 |
| 1972 | Apr 28 |
| 1973 | May 5 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 22 |
| 1976 | May 10 |
| 1977 | May 11 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | Apr 20 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1981 | May 3 |
| 1982 | Apr 29 |
| 1984 | Apr 12 |
| 1985 | Apr 11 |
| 1987 | May 9 |
| 1988 | Jun 11 |
| 1991 | Apr 23 |
| 1993 | May 22 |
| 1994 | May 3 |
| 1995 | May 3 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 17 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2007 | Apr 17 |
| 2008 | Apr 30 |
| 2009 | Apr 13 |
| 2012 | Apr 25 |
| 2013 | Apr 6 |
| 2014 | Apr 17 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 16 |
| 2020 | May 9 |
| 2021 | Apr 24 |
| 2022 | Apr 21 |
| 2023 | Apr 26 |
| 2025 | Apr 13 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1897 | 192 |
| 1920 | 199 |
| 1921 | 169 |
| 1922 | 176 |
| 1923 | 196 |
| 1924 | 182 |
| 1926 | 181 |
| 1927 | 194 |
| 1928 | 152 |
| 1929 | 177 |
| 1930 | 176 |
| 1931 | 188 |
| 1932 | 197 |
| 1933 | 181 |
| 1934 | 168 |
| 1935 | 172 |
| 1936 | 187 |
| 1937 | 184 |
| 1938 | 197 |
| 1939 | 183 |
| 1940 | 173 |
| 1941 | 219 |
| 1942 | 160 |
| 1943 | 195 |
| 1944 | 185 |
| 1945 | 190 |
| 1946 | 206 |
| 1947 | 142 |
| 1948 | 196 |
| 1949 | 198 |
| 1950 | 202 |
| 1951 | 198 |
| 1952 | 195 |
| 1953 | 192 |
| 1954 | 161 |
| 1955 | 198 |
| 1956 | 203 |
| 1957 | 187 |
| 1958 | 190 |
| 1959 | 213 |
| 1960 | 192 |
| 1962 | 149 |
| 1963 | 171 |
| 1964 | 151 |
| 1965 | 172 |
| 1966 | 146 |
| 1967 | 173 |
| 1968 | 171 |
| 1969 | 169 |
| 1970 | 161 |
| 1971 | 182 |
| 1972 | 173 |
| 1973 | 164 |
| 1974 | 137 |
| 1975 | 163 |
| 1976 | 156 |
| 1977 | 153 |
| 1979 | 176 |
| 1980 | 149 |
| 1981 | 157 |
| 1982 | 169 |
| 1985 | 178 |
| 1988 | 87 |
| 1993 | 141 |
| 1994 | 160 |
| 1995 | 142 |
| 1996 | 148 |
| 1997 | 156 |
| 2007 | 193 |
| 2008 | 171 |
| 2009 | 187 |
| 2012 | 168 |
| 2013 | 201 |
| 2014 | 198 |
| 2019 | 187 |
| 2020 | 160 |
| 2021 | 192 |
| 2022 | 170 |
| 2023 | 188 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1897 | 20.2 °C |
| 1898 | 21.4 °C |
| 1920 | 19.7 °C |
| 1921 | 22.2 °C |
| 1922 | 21.5 °C |
| 1923 | 20.7 °C |
| 1924 | 19.3 °C |
| 1926 | 20.5 °C |
| 1927 | 19.4 °C |
| 1928 | 19.2 °C |
| 1929 | 20.2 °C |
| 1930 | 21.4 °C |
| 1931 | 21.5 °C |
| 1932 | 20.4 °C |
| 1933 | 21.6 °C |
| 1934 | 21.7 °C |
| 1935 | 20.4 °C |
| 1936 | 22.1 °C |
| 1937 | 20.1 °C |
| 1938 | 21.0 °C |
| 1939 | 21.2 °C |
| 1940 | 20.2 °C |
| 1941 | 21.6 °C |
| 1942 | 21.1 °C |
| 1943 | 20.9 °C |
| 1944 | 21.6 °C |
| 1945 | 20.6 °C |
| 1946 | 20.1 °C |
| 1947 | 20.8 °C |
| 1948 | 21.3 °C |
| 1949 | 20.2 °C |
| 1950 | 20.2 °C |
| 1951 | 20.7 °C |
| 1952 | 21.8 °C |
| 1953 | 21.2 °C |
| 1954 | 21.5 °C |
| 1955 | 21.7 °C |
| 1956 | 20.3 °C |
| 1957 | 21.6 °C |
| 1958 | 20.1 °C |
| 1959 | 21.7 °C |
| 1960 | 20.8 °C |
| 1961 | 18.3 °C |
| 1962 | 19.0 °C |
| 1963 | 18.1 °C |
| 1964 | 19.8 °C |
| 1965 | 19.6 °C |
| 1966 | 18.6 °C |
| 1967 | 18.3 °C |
| 1968 | 19.2 °C |
| 1969 | 19.7 °C |
| 1970 | 20.1 °C |
| 1971 | 18.8 °C |
| 1972 | 18.9 °C |
| 1973 | 19.3 °C |
| 1974 | 18.0 °C |
| 1975 | 19.2 °C |
| 1977 | 20.0 °C |
| 1978 | 19.7 °C |
| 1979 | 18.8 °C |
| 1980 | 20.4 °C |
| 1981 | 19.6 °C |
| 1983 | 19.0 °C |
| 1984 | 18.8 °C |
| 1985 | 18.8 °C |
| 1986 | 18.9 °C |
| 1987 | 18.2 °C |
| 1988 | 17.2 °C |
| 1989 | 18.5 °C |
| 1991 | 20.7 °C |
| 1993 | 19.4 °C |
| 1994 | 19.0 °C |
| 1995 | 19.6 °C |
| 1996 | 18.1 °C |
| 1997 | 18.0 °C |
| 2002 | 21.6 °C |
| 2006 | 20.1 °C |
| 2007 | 20.5 °C |
| 2008 | 19.8 °C |
| 2009 | 19.0 °C |
| 2012 | 20.2 °C |
| 2013 | 19.6 °C |
| 2014 | 19.8 °C |
| 2018 | 20.7 °C |
| 2019 | 21.0 °C |
| 2020 | 19.5 °C |
| 2021 | 19.3 °C |
| 2022 | 19.8 °C |
| 2023 | 20.1 °C |
| 2024 | 21.4 °C |
| 2025 | 20.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1897, Ashland's last spring frost has come about 1 day later per decade, on average. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Ashland (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.