Fall in zone 9aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 71341 (Hessmer, LA)
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, Bunkie, LA (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2450% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)270 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9a20 to 25°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
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 71341 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-February to early March; fall September to early October.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Southeast (warm, humid). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Centipedegrass (warm-season): Spring: Not before mid-May (NC State); after full green-up (about Apr 15 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Optional mid-summer feeding, especially on sandy coastal soils. Avoid: Early-spring feeding, frequent feeding and liming unless a soil test calls for it (centipede decline).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall transplant Sep 29–Oct 20
- Spinach: fall sowing Sep 29–Oct 20
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 29–Oct 27
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 13–Nov 10
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 13–Nov 10
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 24: 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) | Jan 31 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 28 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 21 |
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) | Nov 5 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 24 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 18 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 16 | Nov 11 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 28 | Nov 24 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 7 | Dec 12 |
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 71341
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 28) and first fall frost (Nov 24). 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 | Jan 3–17 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 4–25 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 4–25 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 3–17 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 3–17 | Feb 7–28 (transplant) Jan 31–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 15–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 17–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–29 (transplant) Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 28 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–29 (transplant) Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 6–20 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 4–25 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 3–17 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 27 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 31–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 17–31 | Feb 14–Mar 7 (transplant) Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 31–Feb 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 24–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 31–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 3–31 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 6–20 | Jan 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 17–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 15–29 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 6–20 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 13–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 17–31 (transplant) | Oct 13–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 4–18 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 31–Feb 7 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 6–20 | Mar 7–14 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 17–31 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 20–Jan 3 | Feb 14–28 (transplant) Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Sep 15–Oct 13 (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
Louisiana has a university or garden plant program: Louisiana Super Plants. Plant frost-tender annuals after February 28 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Bunkie, LA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00161287), elevation 80 ft, 6.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lsu Dean Lee Rsch STN, LA | 17 mi | Mar 1 | Nov 22 |
| Alexandria 5 SSE, LA | 21 mi | Mar 3 | Nov 22 |
| Alexandria Esler Rgnl AP, LA | 25 mi | Mar 16 | Nov 8 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 19 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 71341
When is the last frost in 71341?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 71341 is February 28. For a more cautious planting date, use March 21, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 71341?
The average first fall freeze is November 24. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 5.
What hardiness zone is 71341?
ZIP 71341 is in USDA zone 9a (20 to 25°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 71341 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
71330 Echo 71350 Mansura 71327 Cottonport 71325 Cheneyville 71333 Evergreen 71322 Bunkie 71346 Lecompte 71339
Other ZIP codes in Avoyelles Parish
71320 71322 71323 71327 71331 71333 71339 71350 71351 71355 71362 71369 All Avoyelles Parish frost dates · Louisiana 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.