Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 40178 (Breckinridge County, KY)
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, Mcdaniels, KY (2 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2650% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)196 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
Get The Dial for 40178
Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 40178, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
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.
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
64°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 60°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Bowling Green 21 NNE (32 mi), Mammoth Cave (40 mi).
4-inch depth
65°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 62°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Bowling Green 21 NNE (32 mi), Mammoth Cave (40 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 40178 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 65°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: Transition zone. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about May 27 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 26: 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) | Mar 31 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 11 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 28 |
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) | Oct 13 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 26 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 6 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 23 | Oct 17 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 11 | Oct 26 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 31 | Nov 4 |
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 40178
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 11) and first fall frost (Oct 26). 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 | Feb 14–28 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 14–28 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 14–28 | Mar 21–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 14–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 21 (transplant) Aug 17–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 28–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) Jul 20–Aug 17 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) Jul 20–Aug 17 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 6–27 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 28 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Mar 28–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 7–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 17–31 | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 28–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 14–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) | Sep 14–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 6–20 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 2–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 14–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 14–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 17–31 | Apr 18–25 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 17–Sep 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: Mcdaniels, KY (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00155280), elevation 425 ft, 2.2 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rough Rvr Lake, KY | 6 mi | Apr 17 | Oct 23 |
| Corners, KY | 13 mi | Apr 25 | Oct 16 |
| Leitchfield 2 N, KY | 14 mi | Apr 26 | Oct 15 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 15 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 40178
When is the last frost in 40178?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 40178 is April 11. For a more cautious planting date, use April 28, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 40178?
The average first fall freeze is October 26. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 13.
What hardiness zone is 40178?
ZIP 40178 is in USDA zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 40178 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
40144 40152 40145 40140 40143 Hardinsburg 40119 40115 40146 Irvington
Other ZIP codes in Breckinridge County
40111 40115 40119 40140 40143 40144 40145 40146 40152 40170 40171 40176 All Breckinridge County frost dates · Kentucky frost dates
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
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.