Fall in zone 9aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 36578 (Stapleton, AL)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Bay Minette, AL (10 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)272 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9a20 to 25°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
68°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 63°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Measured at USDA NRCS SCAN station Koptis Farms, 15 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 78°, Fri 77°, Sat 68°.
4-inch depth
71°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 69°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Perdido Riv Farms (29 mi), Brewton 3 NNE (51 mi), Tnc Fort Bayou (61 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 36578 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 71°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Southeast (warm, humid). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Centipedegrass (warm-season): Spring: Not before mid-May (NC State); after full green-up (about Apr 15 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Optional mid-summer feeding, especially on sandy coastal soils. Avoid: Early-spring feeding, frequent feeding and liming unless a soil test calls for it (centipede decline).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall transplant Sep 30–Oct 21
- Spinach: fall sowing Sep 30–Oct 21
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 30–Oct 28
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 14–Nov 11
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 14–Nov 11
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 25: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Feb 3 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 28 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 21 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 7 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 25 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 20 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 15 | Nov 14 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 28 | Nov 25 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 12 | Dec 12 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 36578
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 28) and first fall frost (Nov 25). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 3–17 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 3–17 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 3–17 | Feb 7–28 (transplant) Jan 31–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 21 (transplant) Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 17–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–30 (transplant) Aug 19–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 28 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–30 (transplant) Aug 19–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 6–20 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 28 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 31–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 17–31 | Feb 14–Mar 7 (transplant) Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 24–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 31–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 3–31 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 6–20 | Jan 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 17–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 6–20 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 14–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 17–31 (transplant) | Oct 14–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 5–19 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 6–20 | Mar 7–14 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 17–31 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Bay Minette, AL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00010583), elevation 271 ft, 10.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robertsdale, AL | 13 mi | Mar 5 | Nov 23 |
| Fairhope 3 NE, AL | 14 mi | Mar 15 | Nov 19 |
| Fairhope 2 NE, AL | 15 mi | Mar 10 | Nov 17 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 18 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 36578
When is the last frost in 36578?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 36578 is February 28. For a more cautious planting date, use March 21, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 36578?
The average first fall freeze is November 25. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 7.
What hardiness zone is 36578?
ZIP 36578 is in USDA zone 9a (20 to 25°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 36578 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
36527 Spanish Fort 36551 Loxley 36507 Bay Minette 36526 Daphne 36559 Fairhope 36576 Silverhill 36567 Robertsdale 36602 Mobile
Other ZIP codes in Baldwin County
36507 36511 36526 36527 36530 36532 36535 36542 36547 36549 36550 36551 36555 36559 36561 36562 36564 36567 36574 36576 36579 36580 All Baldwin County frost dates · Alabama frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.