When to plant in Barbourville, KY
Planting dates worked out from Barbourville's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 69 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalApr 21about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 51 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlyOct 81 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 21about half of years have had frost
- LateNov 29 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 184 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Barbourville · 1.9 km away · station 302 m, town 299 m. How we match towns to stations
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 5 – May 19 | Jun 29 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 5 – May 19 | Jul 4 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 3 |
| Peas | — | Mar 10 – Apr 7 | May 4 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jun 17 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 31 – May 12 | May 30 |
| Beet | — | Mar 24 – May 5 | May 13 |
| Potato | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Jun 9 |
| Kale | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 6 |
| Broccoli | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | May 23 |
| Cucumber | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | May 5 – May 19 | Jun 24 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | May 5 – May 19 | Jun 19 |
| Winter squash | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | May 5 – May 19 | Jul 24 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jun 27 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Jun 22 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 7 – Nov 4 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 10 – Apr 7 | Apr 17 |
| Basil | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 5 – May 19 | Jul 1 |
Barbourville's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1951 | Apr 18 |
| 1952 | Apr 17 |
| 1955 | Apr 9 |
| 1956 | Apr 25 |
| 1957 | May 6 |
| 1958 | Apr 14 |
| 1960 | May 14 |
| 1961 | May 27 |
| 1962 | Apr 21 |
| 1963 | May 2 |
| 1965 | Apr 14 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | Apr 29 |
| 1968 | Apr 17 |
| 1969 | Apr 25 |
| 1970 | Apr 11 |
| 1971 | May 5 |
| 1972 | Apr 28 |
| 1973 | May 5 |
| 1974 | May 7 |
| 1975 | Apr 14 |
| 1976 | May 5 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | Apr 17 |
| 1980 | Apr 19 |
| 1982 | Apr 24 |
| 1983 | May 9 |
| 1984 | Apr 19 |
| 1986 | May 5 |
| 1987 | Apr 11 |
| 1988 | Apr 30 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 3 |
| 1992 | Apr 30 |
| 1993 | Apr 24 |
| 1994 | Apr 24 |
| 1995 | Apr 6 |
| 1997 | Apr 19 |
| 1999 | Apr 14 |
| 2000 | May 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | May 23 |
| 2003 | Apr 1 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 11 |
| 2007 | Apr 18 |
| 2008 | May 1 |
| 2010 | Apr 19 |
| 2011 | Apr 7 |
| 2012 | Apr 25 |
| 2013 | Apr 21 |
| 2014 | Apr 18 |
| 2023 | Apr 26 |
| 2024 | Apr 23 |
| 2025 | Apr 14 |
| 2026 | Mar 30 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 198 |
| 1952 | 168 |
| 1955 | 198 |
| 1956 | 168 |
| 1957 | 167 |
| 1958 | 181 |
| 1960 | 159 |
| 1961 | 140 |
| 1962 | 185 |
| 1965 | 173 |
| 1966 | 162 |
| 1967 | 173 |
| 1968 | 170 |
| 1969 | 175 |
| 1971 | 182 |
| 1972 | 174 |
| 1973 | 184 |
| 1974 | 148 |
| 1975 | 199 |
| 1976 | 165 |
| 1977 | 159 |
| 1978 | 164 |
| 1979 | 179 |
| 1980 | 176 |
| 1982 | 184 |
| 1983 | 171 |
| 1986 | 191 |
| 1987 | 175 |
| 1989 | 179 |
| 1990 | 189 |
| 1991 | 186 |
| 1992 | 171 |
| 1994 | 185 |
| 1999 | 193 |
| 2000 | 147 |
| 2001 | 171 |
| 2002 | 162 |
| 2003 | 184 |
| 2005 | 175 |
| 2006 | 184 |
| 2007 | 193 |
| 2008 | 170 |
| 2011 | 198 |
| 2012 | 191 |
| 2024 | 177 |
| 2025 | 191 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 20.9 °C |
| 1952 | 21.4 °C |
| 1955 | 22.2 °C |
| 1956 | 21.1 °C |
| 1957 | 21.7 °C |
| 1958 | 21.1 °C |
| 1959 | 21.6 °C |
| 1960 | 21.2 °C |
| 1961 | 19.6 °C |
| 1962 | 20.8 °C |
| 1963 | 20.3 °C |
| 1965 | 21.6 °C |
| 1966 | 20.4 °C |
| 1967 | 19.3 °C |
| 1968 | 20.1 °C |
| 1969 | 20.2 °C |
| 1970 | 20.7 °C |
| 1971 | 20.0 °C |
| 1972 | 19.6 °C |
| 1973 | 20.0 °C |
| 1974 | 19.2 °C |
| 1975 | 20.2 °C |
| 1976 | 18.8 °C |
| 1977 | 21.3 °C |
| 1978 | 20.8 °C |
| 1979 | 19.9 °C |
| 1982 | 19.6 °C |
| 1983 | 19.9 °C |
| 1985 | 20.6 °C |
| 1986 | 20.8 °C |
| 1987 | 20.1 °C |
| 1989 | 19.4 °C |
| 1990 | 19.6 °C |
| 1991 | 21.1 °C |
| 1992 | 18.8 °C |
| 1993 | 20.0 °C |
| 1994 | 19.6 °C |
| 1995 | 20.7 °C |
| 1997 | 18.3 °C |
| 1999 | 20.1 °C |
| 2000 | 20.1 °C |
| 2002 | 20.8 °C |
| 2003 | 20.0 °C |
| 2005 | 20.6 °C |
| 2006 | 20.1 °C |
| 2007 | 20.7 °C |
| 2008 | 19.5 °C |
| 2010 | 21.6 °C |
| 2011 | 20.8 °C |
| 2012 | 21.0 °C |
| 2013 | 19.9 °C |
| 2014 | 20.5 °C |
| 2019 | 21.6 °C |
| 2024 | 21.2 °C |
| 2025 | 21.4 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1951, Barbourville's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown 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 Barbourville (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.