Frost Date Checker UK

📍 Select your UK region

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Select a region above

Frost dates based on Met Office historical averages

🌸 Last Spring Frost

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🍂 First Autumn Frost

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Growing season at a glance

Frost risk

Safe to plant out tender crops

Peak growing season

🌱 When to plant out tender crops

💡 Frost date tips for UK gardeners

📅These are averages, not guarantees. A cold snap can arrive 2–3 weeks after the "last frost" date in any given year. Always watch the forecast in spring and keep fleece to hand.

🌡️Your garden has its own microclimate. A south-facing, sheltered spot can be 2–3°C warmer than an exposed north-facing one. Frost pockets in low-lying areas stay colder for longer.

🌱Harden off before planting out. Spend 7–10 days putting indoor-raised plants outside in the day and bringing them in at night before leaving them out permanently.

🥶A light frost (0 to -2°C) is survivable for many plants if covered with fleece overnight. A hard frost (-4°C or below) will kill unprotected tender plants regardless.

📱Check the Met Office forecast the night before planting out anything tender. A clear night with low humidity after a cold day is the highest frost risk combination.

Why frost dates matter for UK gardeners

The last frost date in spring is one of the most important dates in the UK gardening calendar. Plant out tender crops too early and a late frost will kill them overnight. Wait too long and you shorten the growing season unnecessarily. Knowing your region's typical last frost date lets you plan sowing times, hardening off periods, and planting out dates with confidence rather than guesswork.

UK frost dates by region

Frost dates vary enormously across the UK — Scotland and northern England typically see their last frost 4–6 weeks later than the South West and South East. Here are approximate average last spring frost dates for UK regions:

South West England

Last frost: late March – early April

South East England

Last frost: mid April

Midlands

Last frost: late April

Wales

Last frost: late April – early May

Northern England

Last frost: early to mid May

Scotland

Last frost: mid to late May

When to plant out common tender crops

As a general rule, wait until 2 weeks after your last frost date before planting out tender crops, and harden plants off for 7–10 days before transplanting. Here are typical UK planting out windows for the most popular tender vegetables:

🍅 Tomatoes

Plant out: late May – early June in most UK regions

🥒 Courgettes

Plant out: late May – early June after last frost

🫑 Peppers & chillies

Plant out: early June — later than tomatoes

🌽 Sweetcorn

Plant out: late May in south, early June further north

🫘 French beans

Plant out or direct sow: late May onwards

🎃 Squash & pumpkins

Plant out: early June — very frost sensitive

Use the checker above to get your specific region's dates, then cross-reference with the seed to harvest timeline to plan your full growing season. See all free GrowGuide tools →

UK Frost Date Checker