Fall in zone 5bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 54212 (Door County, WI)
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, Ephraim 1NE-WWTP, WI (5 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 1450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)155 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5b-15 to -10°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 54212, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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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
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 54212 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-April to early May.
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 18: 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 28 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 14 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 28 |
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 1 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 18 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 3 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 26 | Oct 4 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 14 | Oct 18 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | May 1 | Nov 1 |
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 54212
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 14) and first fall frost (Oct 18). 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 19–Apr 2 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Mar 5–19 | May 28–Jun 11 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Mar 5–19 | May 28–Jun 11 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 19–Apr 2 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 23–May 14 (transplant) Apr 16–May 28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 13 (transplant) Aug 9–Sep 6 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Jul 26–Aug 23 (transplant) Jul 12–Aug 9 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 16–May 14 (transplant) Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Jul 26–Aug 23 (transplant) Jul 12–Aug 9 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Mar 5–19 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 12–Aug 9 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Mar 5–19 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 12–Aug 9 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Mar 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) | Jul 12–Aug 9 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jun 28–Jul 19 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 9–23 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 16–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 6 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 20 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 16–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 6 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Apr 2–16 | Apr 30–May 21 (transplant) Apr 30–May 28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 9–23 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 9–23 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 23–May 21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 26–Aug 9 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Apr 9–May 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 16–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 23–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Jul 26–Aug 9 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 9–23 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 6–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 6–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Jun 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 28–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jun 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 16–23 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 16–23 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 16–23 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 16–23 | May 28–Jun 11 (transplant) May 28–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 16–23 | May 28–Jun 11 (transplant) May 28–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Apr 2–16 | May 28–Jun 11 (transplant) May 28–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 19–Mar 5 | May 21–28 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Apr 2–16 | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) May 21–Jun 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 30–May 28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 6 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Mar 5–19 | Apr 30–May 14 (transplant) Apr 23–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 23–Sep 6 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Aug 9–Sep 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.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Ephraim 1NE-WWTP, WI (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00472626), elevation 733 ft, 5.0 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon Bay EXP Farm, WI | 17 mi | May 8 | Oct 13 |
| Marinette, WI | 20 mi | May 4 | Oct 11 |
| Washington Is, WI | 23 mi | May 15 | Oct 14 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 11 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 54212
When is the last frost in 54212?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 54212 is May 14. For a more cautious planting date, use May 28, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 54212?
The average first fall freeze is October 18. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 1.
What hardiness zone is 54212?
ZIP 54212 is in USDA zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 54212 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
54202 Baileys Harbor 54211 Ephraim 54209 Egg Harbor 54234 Sister Bay 54210 Ellison Bay 49858 Menominee 54235 Sturgeon Bay 49893
Other ZIP codes in Door County
54202 54204 54209 54210 54211 54213 54234 54235 54246 All Door County frost dates · Wisconsin 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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- Weekly yard to-dos
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.