First and Last Frost Dates for the UK / France / Spain /Slovakia etc.

[Bohobumble]

I recently found these two detailed interactive maps that I found useful for planning my sowing/harvesting/seed saving etc:

United Kingdom Interactive First Frost Map
United Kingdom Interactive Last Frost Map

France:
France Interactive First Frost Map
France Interactive Last Frost Map

Spain:
Spain Interactive First Frost Map
Spain Interactive Last Frost Map

Slovakia:
Slovakia Interactive First Frost Map
Slovakia Interactive Last Frost Map

Other countries are also listed if you have a look around.

I have struggled with other sites as the 'nearby towns' thing was't accurate enough - they weren't that nearby and had different dates I guess due to the geography of my region.

[Thelma Sanders]

Oh, if only you could rely on any given first or last frost date

Life would be so much easier.

[Kristen]

Useful for planning ... but in practice huge variability year-to-year on actual dates.

For folk starting things off on modules / under cover the date is not too critical, as the plants will "hold" for a week or two if, come planting out time, the forecast is dire (indeed, if its a cold spring then the plants in modules are probably "behind" compared to an early mild Spring, so will hold longer.

I pot-on from 1" cell modules to 9cm pots, and they give me a good holding time for plants if I am not ready to plant out. 9cm pots take up a lot more staging space than 1" modules though!! but by that time they are outside for hardening off, all of them are in carry-trays, so can (with some hassle) come into the greenhouse or conservatory for the night if there is a late frost.

Its another benefit of growing in modules, to plant out, which I might add to my justification for why the extra Faff!! is worthwhile.

[Bohobumble]

Yes, they are average dates so perhaps err on the side of caution!

[Kristen]

20-May-2008 we had a late frost - nightmare that year keeping the frost off the Spuds ...

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Boho. You've cheered me up no end. According to the maps, my ave. last frost date was Yesterday
Where are those courgette seeds?

[Nicos]

Great find...well spotted!

My last frost dates are probably 5 weeks out as we are in a frost pocket...but it's good to finally see a map for France!
Thankyou!

[Kristen]

late frost last May ... had to cram everything in the greenhouse for the night !!!

[sparrow100]

Kristen - yowzers!!

[sparrow100]

The map is really interesting. My site is firmly in the navy bracket for last frosts. My Mum, 10 minutes down the road, is in the pale blue bracket, a month later...I'd have said we were about the same, but now I will be comparing notes with her.

[Bohobumble]

Sparrow, that'd be interesting to see your minimum temperatures versus your Mum's on a night with frost forecast, let us know if you get any differences?

[Kristen]

WUnderground might have amateur weather stations in both locations, if you are lucky ... if so you'd be able to compare historical temperatures

[sparrow100]

Sparrow, that'd be interesting to see your minimum temperatures versus your Mum's on a night with frost forecast, let us know if you get any differences?

I'll try and remember to come back here and post...