Fall in zone 9aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 71474 (Simpson, 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, Ft Polk Fullerton Lndg Strip, LA (9 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)268 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 71474 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 16 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 28–Oct 19
- Spinach: fall sowing Sep 28–Oct 19
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 28–Oct 26
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 12–26
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 12–Nov 9
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 12–Nov 9
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 23: 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) | Mar 1 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 24 |
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 4 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 23 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 20 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 15 | Nov 11 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 1 | Nov 23 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 7 | Dec 10 |
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 71474
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 1) and first fall frost (Nov 23). 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 4–18 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | Aug 3–24 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | Aug 3–24 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 4–18 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 4–18 | Feb 8–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 1–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 19 (transplant) Sep 14–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 18–Feb 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 19 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 28 (transplant) Aug 17–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 28 (transplant) Aug 17–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 3–24 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 26 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 1–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 15–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 25–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 1–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 4–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 7–21 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 14–28 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Oct 12–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 3–17 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 1–8 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 1–8 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 7–21 | Mar 8–15 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 28–Oct 12 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Sep 14–Oct 12 (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 1 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Ft Polk Fullerton Lndg Strip, LA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00053988), elevation 310 ft, 9.2 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: E (estimated from nearby stations).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leesville, LA | 16 mi | Mar 20 | Nov 9 |
| Peason Ridge Range, LA | 18 mi | Mar 8 | Nov 18 |
| Boyce 3 WNW, LA | 19 mi | Mar 2 | Nov 27 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 19 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 71474
When is the last frost in 71474?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 71474 is March 1. For a more cautious planting date, use March 24, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 71474?
The average first fall freeze is November 23. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 4.
What hardiness zone is 71474?
ZIP 71474 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 71474 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
71475 71455 71427 71434 71446 Leesville 71438 71447 71472
Other ZIP codes in Vernon Parish
70639 70656 70659 71403 71438 71439 71446 71459 71461 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.