Avoid losing seedlings to unexpected ground frosts. Enter your postcode to discover your local safe planting dates based on 10 years of historical data and live soil temperatures.
*Calculations based on Open-Meteo ERA5 high-resolution records (2014-2024) utilizing Day-of-Year median tracking and live topsoil metrics.
The average last frost date is exactly that: an average. If you plant your tender seedlings on this exact date, history suggests there is still a 50% chance another frost will occur, which will kill tender plants like tomatoes and peppers. Our "Safe Planting Date" calculates a 14-day buffer past the average to give you a 90%+ confidence level.
Air frost happens when the air temperature 2 meters above ground drops to 0°C. However, cold air sinks. This means the ground where your seedlings live can freeze even when the official weather forecast reports 2°C or 3°C. Our tool uses historical data tuned specifically for ground frost risk (temperatures dropping to 2°C or lower).
Even if the frost risk has passed, seeds will simply rot in the ground if the soil is too cold. Hardy seeds like peas and carrots need a soil temperature of at least 7-10°C to germinate, while tender plants need 15°C or higher. Our live topsoil metrics help you decide exactly when to put seeds in the dirt.