Fall in zone 7aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 19508 (Birdsboro, 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, Hopewell Morgantown, PA (8 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2750% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)193 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7a0 to 5°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
60°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Avondale 2 N (28 mi), Mahantango Ck (52 mi).
4-inch depth
62°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 59°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Avondale 2 N (28 mi), Mahantango Ck (52 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 19508 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 62°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 Jun 1 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 27: 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 3 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 16 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 30 |
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 11 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 27 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 10 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 30 | Oct 15 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 16 | Oct 27 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 3 | Nov 6 |
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 19508
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 16) and first fall frost (Oct 27). 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 19–Mar 5 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 26–Apr 16 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–22 (transplant) Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–22 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) Jul 21–Aug 18 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 16 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) Jul 21–Aug 18 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 7–28 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–29 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–23 (transplant) Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 26–Apr 23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 12–Apr 23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 26–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 15–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Sep 15–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 7–21 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 19–26 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 19–26 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 19–26 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Apr 23–30 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 5–19 | Apr 23–May 7 (transplant) Apr 23–May 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Mar 26–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (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: Hopewell Morgantown, PA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00364076), elevation 550 ft, 7.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Spaatz Fld, PA | 10 mi | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| Glenmoore, PA | 12 mi | Apr 11 | Nov 1 |
| Reading 4 NNW, PA | 13 mi | Apr 10 | Oct 31 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 6 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 19508
When is the last frost in 19508?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 19508 is April 16. For a more cautious planting date, use April 30, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 19508?
The average first fall freeze is October 27. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 11.
What hardiness zone is 19508?
ZIP 19508 is in USDA zone 7a (0 to 5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 19508 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
19523 19518 Amity Gardens 19606 Reiffton 19535 19607 Shillington 19602 Reading 19543 New Morgan 19540 Alleghenyville
Other ZIP codes in Berks County
17087 18011 18056 19503 19504 19505 19506 19507 19510 19511 19512 19516 19518 19522 19523 19526 19529 19530 19533 19534 19535 19536 19538 19539 All Berks County frost dates · Pennsylvania frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- 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.