Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 17836 (Northumberland County, PA)
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, Bear Gap, PA (9 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2750% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)172 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°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
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 50°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Measured at USDA NRCS SCAN station Mahantango Ck, 4 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 62°, Fri 63°, Sat 57°.
4-inch depth
59°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 54°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Measured at USDA NRCS SCAN station Mahantango Ck, 4 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 63°, Fri 64°, Sat 59°.
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 17836 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 59°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: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
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 20: 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) | Apr 12 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 27 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 15 |
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 4 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 20 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 5 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 9 | Oct 6 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 27 | Oct 20 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 13 | Nov 2 |
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 17836
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 27) and first fall frost (Oct 20). 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 | Mar 2–16 | May 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 16–Mar 2 | May 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 16–Mar 2 | May 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 2–16 | May 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 2–16 | Apr 6–27 (transplant) Mar 30–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) Aug 11–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 30–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) Jul 14–Aug 11 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 27 (transplant) Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) Jul 14–Aug 11 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Jul 14–Aug 11 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Jul 14–Aug 11 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jul 14–Aug 11 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Jun 30–Jul 21 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 30–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 30–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 16–30 | Apr 13–May 4 (transplant) Apr 13–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 6–May 4 (sow outdoors) | Jul 28–Aug 11 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 23–May 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 30–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 6–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Jul 28–Aug 11 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 2–16 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 2–16 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Jun 30–Jul 14 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 18–Jun 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 30–Apr 6 | May 4–18 (transplant) May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 30–Apr 6 | May 4–18 (transplant) May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 30–Apr 6 | May 4–18 (transplant) May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 30–Apr 6 | May 11–25 (transplant) May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 30–Apr 6 | May 11–25 (transplant) May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 16–30 | May 11–25 (transplant) May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 2–16 | May 4–11 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 16–30 | May 4–18 (transplant) May 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 13–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 6–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 27–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (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: Bear Gap, PA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00360457), elevation 1,015 ft, 9.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunbury, PA | 14 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 13 |
| Selinsgrove 2 S, PA | 14 mi | Apr 25 | Oct 22 |
| Selinsgrove Penn Vly AP, PA | 15 mi | Apr 27 | Oct 16 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 5 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 17836
When is the last frost in 17836?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 17836 is April 27. For a more cautious planting date, use May 15, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 17836?
The average first fall freeze is October 20. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 4.
What hardiness zone is 17836?
ZIP 17836 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 17836 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
17941 Klingerstown 17866 Fairview-Ferndale 17867 17964 17968 17872 Shamokin 17983 Valley View 17881 Trevorton
Other ZIP codes in Northumberland County
17017 17730 17749 17777 17801 17823 17830 17832 17834 17840 17847 17850 17851 17857 17860 17865 17866 17867 17868 17872 17881 All Northumberland County frost dates · Pennsylvania frost dates
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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.