Knowing the last frost date is very important to gardeners.  A great many things on a Gardener’s To Do List in spring depend on knowing when the last frost date is.  Whether you are starting seeds or just want to know when it is safe to plant your vegetables out in your garden without fear of losing them to a late frost, you need to know when the last frost date is.

Frost dates vary from area to area.  This is because last frost dates are based information gathered from historical meteorological reports.  These reports go back up to 100 years ago.  The last frost date is the latest date that frost was recorded 90% of the time.

What this means is that while a last frost date is a good indicator of when it is safe of put out plants, it is not a hard and fast rule.  In the historical weather data, a frost occurred after the official last frost date 10% of the time.

Normally, the easiest way to find out the last frost date for your area is to either consult an almanac, which can be found at your local library or bookstore, or to call your local extension service or farm bureau.

Even though last frost date is not a absolutely foolproof way to make sure that your garden is not affected by Mother Nature, it is the best guide gardeners have to as to how to plan their spring garden.