Frost dates for ZIP 76542 (Killeen, TX)
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, Killeen, TX (5 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 1450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 1750% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)247 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
70°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 69°F, as of Oct 17, 11:00 PM CDT
Measured at TexMesonet (TWDB) station River Ridge Ranch, 5 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 79°, Fri 75°.
4-inch depth
72°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 72°F, as of Oct 17, 11:00 PM CDT
Measured at TexMesonet (TWDB) station River Ridge Ranch, 5 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 79°, Fri 77°.
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 76542 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 72°F at 4 inches. Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: South Central plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Apr 29 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
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 22–Oct 20
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 17: 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 24 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 14 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 4 |
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 1 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 17 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 6 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 31 | Nov 7 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 14 | Nov 17 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 2 | Nov 30 |
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 76542
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 14) and first fall frost (Nov 17). 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 17–31 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 3–17 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 3–17 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 17–31 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 17–31 | Feb 21–Mar 14 (transplant) Feb 14–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 13 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 31–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 17–31 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) Feb 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) Aug 11–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 17–31 | Feb 14–Mar 14 (transplant) Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) Aug 11–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 3–17 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 3–17 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 3–17 | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 17–31 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) Feb 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 14–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Feb 28–Mar 21 (transplant) Feb 28–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 7–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 14–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 21–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 17–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 11 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 14–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 14–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 14–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 14–21 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 14–21 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Mar 21–28 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 28–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 3–17 | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) Feb 21–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (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
Texas A&M AgriLife trials name plants that handle Texas conditions: the Texas Superstar® list and the low-care roses from AgriLife trials. Plant frost-tender annuals after March 14 here (the average last frost). More on plants for Texas. Not affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Killeen, TX (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00414792), elevation 815 ft, 5.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX | 11 mi | Mar 14 | Nov 20 |
| Georgetown Lake, TX | 22 mi | Mar 6 | Nov 24 |
| Lampasas, TX | 29 mi | Mar 22 | Nov 12 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 16 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 76542
When is the last frost in 76542?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 76542 is March 14. For a more cautious planting date, use April 4, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 76542?
The average first fall freeze is November 17. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 1.
What hardiness zone is 76542?
ZIP 76542 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 76542 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
76548 Harker Heights 76571 Salado 76549 Killeen 76559 Nolanville 76541 Killeen 76543 Killeen 76527 Florence 76513 Belton
Other ZIP codes in Bell County
76501 76502 76504 76511 76513 76534 76541 76543 76548 76549 76554 76557 76559 76569 76571 76579 All Bell County frost dates · Texas frost dates
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