Fall in zone 9aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 70506 (Lafayette, LA)
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, Lafayette, LA (2 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)279 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
75°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 73°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Lafayette 13 SE, 15 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 79°, Fri 79°, Sat 75°.
4-inch depth
77°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 77°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Lafayette 13 SE, 15 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 80°, Fri 79°, Sat 78°.
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 70506 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 77°F at 4 inches. Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): not yet. Apply as soil cools toward 70°F (typically September to early October).
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 13 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 Oct 3–24
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 3–24
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 3–31
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 17–31
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 17–Nov 14
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 17–Nov 14
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 28: 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) | Jan 29 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 26 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 20 |
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 28 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 26 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 11 | Nov 13 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 26 | Nov 28 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 5 | Dec 14 |
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 70506
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 26) and first fall frost (Nov 28). 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 1–15 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 1–29 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 1–15 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 1–15 | Feb 5–26 (transplant) Jan 29–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–24 (transplant) Sep 19–Oct 17 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 15–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–24 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 1–15 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) Jan 29–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (transplant) Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 1–15 | Jan 29–Feb 26 (transplant) Jan 29–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (transplant) Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 4–18 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 1–15 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) Jan 29–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 29–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–31 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 29–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 15–29 | Feb 12–Mar 5 (transplant) Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 29–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 22–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 17–31 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 29–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 5–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 1–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 4–18 | Jan 15–29 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 15–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 4–18 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 17–Nov 14 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 15–29 (transplant) | Oct 17–Nov 14 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Aug 8–22 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 29–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 29–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 29–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 29–Feb 5 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 29–Feb 5 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 15–29 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 4–18 | Mar 5–12 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 15–29 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) Feb 5–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Sep 19–Oct 17 (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.
Plants that do well here
Louisiana has a university or garden plant program: Louisiana Super Plants. Plant frost-tender annuals after February 26 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Lafayette, LA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00165021), elevation 25 ft, 1.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Rgnl AP, LA | 6 mi | Feb 13 | Dec 4 |
| Lafayette 13 SE, LA | 14 mi | Feb 19 | Dec 1 |
| St Martinville 3 SW, LA | 15 mi | Feb 21 | Nov 27 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 13 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 70506
When is the last frost in 70506?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 70506 is February 26. For a more cautious planting date, use March 20, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 70506?
The average first fall freeze is November 28. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 7.
What hardiness zone is 70506?
ZIP 70506 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 70506 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
70503 Lafayette 70508 Lafayette 70529 Duson 70583 Scott 70501 Lafayette 70507 Lafayette 70558 Milton 70555 Maurice
Other ZIP codes in Lafayette Parish
70501 70503 70507 70508 70518 70520 70529 70558 70583 70592 All Lafayette Parish frost dates · Louisiana frost dates
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- 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.