First hard frost...for real.

Well, the growing season of 2009 came to an end on Monday, A.D. 2009 October 12. We had experienced a few light frosts in the weeks leading up to the 12th, but none that left the entire yard white. Monday was 27º Fahrenheit (-2.7º Celsius). The tomato plants were totally wiped out, which pretty much defines a "hard frost." With this information, I can tally the length of the 2009 growing season:

Last hard frost of spring: 2009 May 19
Last light frost of spring: 2009 May 19
First light frost of autumn: 2009 September 20
First hard frost of autumn: 2009 October 12
Length of the 2009 growing season: 145 days

The statistics for the growing season of 2008 were:

Last hard frost of spring: 2008 May 05

Last light frost of spring: 2008 May 28

First light frost of autumn: 2008 September 19

First hard frost of autumn: 2008 October 07

Length of the 2008 growing season: 154 days

The statistics for the growing season of 2007 were:

Last hard frost of spring: 2007 May 14

Last light frost of spring: 2007 May 22

First light frost of autumn: 2007 September 17

First hard frost of autumn: 2007 October 29

Length of the 2008 growing season: 167 days

The statistics for the growing season of 2006 were:

Last hard frost of spring: 2006 May 07

Last light frost of spring: 2006 May 07

First light frost of autumn: 2006 September 29

First hard frost of autumn: 2006 October 06

Length of the 2008 growing season: 151 days

I'm not sure of the spring statistics for 2005 because my wife and I lived in western New York for a brief period of time. The autumn statistics were as follows:

First light frost of autumn: 2005 October 20

First hard frost of autumn: 2005 October 28