Frost Guides
Quick answer
Start with the first hard freeze guide for 28°F dates by USDA zone, bring tender potted plants in before the first fall frost, and use the frost protection guide to cover plants on cold nights.
Frost and freeze timing decides when tender plants come in, when to cover, and when fall jobs must be done. These guides use NOAA 1991–2020 normals and university extension advice.
All frost guides
How to Protect Plants from Frost Tonight
Frost vs. hard freeze temperatures, tender and hardy plants, how to cover plants correctly, and mums in pots vs. the ground.
FrostFirst Hard Freeze (28°F) Dates by Zone
Typical 28°F dates for every USDA zone, how they compare with the first frost, and what to do before and after.
FrostWhen to Bring Potted Plants Inside
Temperatures by plant type, frost deadlines by zone, a pest check, and where hardy plants in pots should spend winter.
Mid-Atlantic frost dates by city Frost dates for your ZIP