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Step 1
Look for geese coming back from their winter home. You can hear them honking overhead, flying in formation towards the south, at the end of the winter season. They seem to be a lot smarter than humans are, and know when it's safe to return from their warm, southern feeding and breeding grounds.
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Step 2
Listen for frogs and look for other cold-blooded animals, such as fish, snakes and turtles. They can't keep warm during the winter and must take shelter in holes and tunnels or wallow down in mud, remaining dormant throughout the winter. When the seasons change and the ground warms, they instinctively know when it's safe to make an appearance.
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Step 3
Observe the habits of insects. If they don't migrate, they disappear for the winter, seeking shelter under tree bark, in holes in the ground or in small cracks and crevices. When winter is over, they reappear and become active again.
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Step 4
Take the temperature of the soil. The soil must be at least 60 degrees before spring planting can begin. This is a good indication that winter is over. A soil thermometer is available at some hardware or nursery supply stores, or you could test the warmth of the soil like the medieval farmers in Europe supposedly did. They sat on the soil with their bare bottoms, and if it was too cold, they knew it wasn't time for spring planting. The thermometer is probably a more reliable indicator of the advent of spring.
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Step 5
Contact your local agricultural extension office for the expected last frost date of the season. They determine this by studying averages of past seasons. Sometimes they aren't accurate, but it gives you a good idea when to expect the end of winter.
