Free tool
Frost date checker
Pick your UK region to see the typical last spring frost, first autumn frost and frost-free season — plus the key dates for sowing and planting out tender crops.
Pick the area closest to you. Coastal and city gardens are usually a little milder.
Dates are typical long-term averages, not a forecast. A late cold snap can still catch tender plants, so keep fleece handy until you are confident the frosts have passed.
Typical last spring frost — Midlands
15 April
First autumn frost around 28 October
Frost-free season
190 days
approx.
Plant out tender crops after
15 April
last frost date
Your key dates
- 18 February — sow tender crops like tomatoes indoors (about 8 weeks before the last frost).
- 1 April — start hardening off seedlings (about 2 weeks before the last frost).
- 15 April — safe to plant out tender crops once the last frost has passed.
- 28 October — first autumn frost is likely, so harvest or clear tender crops before then.
Guidance for UK gardens only — your own plot, altitude and the weather in any given year will vary. Frost pockets at the bottom of a slope stay colder for longer.
How to use it
Choose the region closest to you from the dropdown and the dates update straight away — no button to press. You'll see the typical last spring frost (the milestone most UK gardeners plan around), the first autumn frost and the length of the frost-free season in between. Underneath, the tool lists your key sowing and planting dates so you know when to start tender crops indoors, when to begin hardening them off, and when it's safe to plant them out. City and coastal gardens tend to run a little milder than the regional average, while higher ground and frost pockets stay colder for longer.
How the calculation works
The frost dates are long-term regional averages for the UK, drawn from typical Met Office patterns rather than a live forecast. From your region's last frost date the tool counts back roughly 8 weeks for the indoor sowing date and 2 weeks for the start of hardening off, then uses the last frost itself as the "plant out" date and the first autumn frost as the "clear by" date. These are guidance figures: the weather in any given year, your altitude and your soil all shift things, so keep horticultural fleece to hand and check the forecast before exposing tender plants. For a full month-by-month plan, pair this with the planting calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the last frost in the UK?
- It varies a lot by region. In the milder South West the last spring frost is typically around early April, while in northern Scotland it can be as late as mid-to-late May. The Midlands and South East usually clear frost by mid-April. These are long-term averages — a cold year can run a fortnight late, so use them as a guide and watch the forecast.
- How long before the last frost should I sow tomatoes?
- Sow tender crops like tomatoes, courgettes and chillies indoors about 8 weeks before your last expected frost. That gives sturdy young plants ready to harden off roughly 2 weeks before the frost date and plant out once it has passed. This tool works those dates out for your region automatically.
- What does frost-free season length mean?
- It is the typical number of days between the last spring frost and the first autumn frost — your safe window for growing tender crops outdoors. A longer frost-free season (around 200 days in the South) gives you more time for heat-lovers like tomatoes and squash to ripen than a short one (around 130 days in the Highlands).