Fall in zone 7aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 63103 (St. Louis, MO)
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, St Louis Sci Ctr, MO (3 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 450% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)218 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
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 Shaw Nature Reserve (33 mi), Elsberry PMC (47 mi).
4-inch depth
63°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 60°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Shaw Nature Reserve (33 mi), Elsberry PMC (47 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 63103 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 63°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 May 17 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
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 4: 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) | Mar 14 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 1 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 18 |
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 24 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 4 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 21 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 12 | Oct 26 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 1 | Nov 4 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 22 | Nov 15 |
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 63103
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 1) and first fall frost (Nov 4). 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 4–18 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 8–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Apr 15–29 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Apr 15–29 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 4–18 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 4–18 | Mar 11–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 4–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–30 (transplant) Aug 26–Sep 23 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 18–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–30 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 4–18 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) Jul 29–Aug 26 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 4–18 | Mar 4–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 4–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) Jul 29–Aug 26 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 7–21 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 5 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 4–18 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 4–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 4–25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 18–Mar 4 | Mar 18–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 18–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 4–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 11–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 4–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 11–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 4–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 7–21 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 18–Mar 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 7–21 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 23–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) | Sep 23–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 15–29 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 22–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 4–11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 4–11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 4–11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 4–11 | Apr 15–29 (transplant) Apr 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 4–11 | Apr 15–29 (transplant) Apr 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 18–Mar 4 | Apr 15–29 (transplant) Apr 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 7–21 | Apr 8–15 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 18–Mar 4 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 18–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 21–Feb 4 | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) Mar 11–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (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
Missouri has a university or garden plant program: Plants of Merit. Plant frost-tender annuals after April 1 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: St Louis Sci Ctr, MO (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00237452), elevation 515 ft, 2.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cahokia, IL | 5 mi | Apr 6 | Oct 27 |
| Cahokia St Louis AP, IL | 5 mi | Apr 8 | Oct 26 |
| St Louis Lambert Intl AP, MO | 12 mi | Apr 2 | Nov 4 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 7 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 63103
When is the last frost in 63103?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 63103 is April 1. For a more cautious planting date, use April 18, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 63103?
The average first fall freeze is November 4. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 24.
What hardiness zone is 63103?
ZIP 63103 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 63103 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
63155 St. Louis 63106 St. Louis 63104 St. Louis 63101 St. Louis 63102 St. Louis 63108 St. Louis 63107 St. Louis 63113 St. Louis
Other ZIP codes in St. Louis city
63101 63102 63104 63106 63107 63108 63109 63110 63111 63112 63113 63115 63116 63118 63120 63139 63147 63155 All St. Louis city frost dates · Missouri 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.