Fall in zone 9aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 71459 (Fort Polk South, 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, Leesville, LA (5 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 2050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 950% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)234 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 71459 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 May 5 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
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 9: 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) | Feb 24 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 20 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 12 |
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 26 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 9 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 1 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 5 | Oct 31 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 20 | Nov 9 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 28 | Nov 23 |
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 71459
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 20) and first fall frost (Nov 9). 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 23–Feb 6 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 9–23 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 9–23 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Feb 27–Mar 20 (transplant) Feb 20–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–Oct 5 (transplant) Aug 31–Sep 28 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 6–27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) Feb 20–Mar 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (transplant) Aug 3–31 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Feb 20–Mar 20 (transplant) Feb 20–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (transplant) Aug 3–31 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 9–23 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 9–23 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 9–23 | Mar 6–20 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 26–Jan 9 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) Feb 20–Mar 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 20–Mar 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 20–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 20–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 6–20 | Mar 6–27 (transplant) Mar 6–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 20–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 13–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 20–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 27–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 23–Feb 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 26–Jan 9 | Feb 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 6–Mar 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 26–Jan 9 | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 28–Oct 26 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 6–20 (transplant) | Sep 28–Oct 26 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 10–May 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 20–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 20–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 20–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 20–27 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 20–27 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 6–20 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 26–Jan 9 | Mar 27–Apr 3 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 6–20 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 6–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 9–23 | Mar 6–20 (transplant) Feb 27–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 20–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 20–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 20–Mar 6 (transplant) | Aug 31–Sep 28 (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 March 20 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Leesville, LA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00165266), elevation 28 ft, 4.6 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosepine Rsch STN, LA | 10 mi | Mar 8 | Nov 21 |
| Ft Polk Fullerton Lndg Strip, LA | 16 mi | Mar 1 | Nov 23 |
| De Ridder, LA | 17 mi | Mar 1 | Nov 25 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 19 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 71459
When is the last frost in 71459?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 71459 is March 20. For a more cautious planting date, use April 12, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 71459?
The average first fall freeze is November 9. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 26.
What hardiness zone is 71459?
ZIP 71459 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 71459 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
71461 New Llano 71446 Leesville 71475 70659 Rosepine 71403 Anacoco 70639 71474 Simpson 70634 DeRidder
Other ZIP codes in Vernon Parish
70639 70656 70659 71403 71438 71439 71446 71461 71474 71475 All Vernon 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.