When to plant in New York
Most of New York sees its last spring frost between Apr 1 and May 13, and its first fall frost between Oct 2 and Nov 17. The middle of the state is around May 1 and October 15: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in New York: 4b (5%), 5a (7%), 5b (21%), 6a (23%), 6b (15%), 7a (5%), 7b (23%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 28 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 25 – Oct 15 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 14 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 30 – Oct 15 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 10 – Aug 28 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 5 – Sep 13 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 16 – May 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 23 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 10 – Aug 21 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 19 – Jun 23 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 30 – Aug 27 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 18 – Jun 29 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 29 – Jun 10 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Kale | Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 28 – Aug 20 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
| Broccoli | Feb 27 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Jun 9 – Jul 14 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cabbage | Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jun 12 – Jul 17 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Jun 19 – Jul 31 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Jun 4 – Jul 16 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Radish | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Apr 21 – May 19 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 5 – Aug 9 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 8 – Oct 29 (fall) | Jun 26 – Jul 17 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Jul 9 – Aug 13 | — |
| Sweet potato | Apr 10 | May 22 – Jun 5 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 22 – Jun 5 | Aug 15 – Sep 19 | — |
| Basil | Apr 4 | May 16 – May 30 | Jun 15 – Sep 21 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | May 29 – Jun 26 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 16 – May 30 | Aug 4 – Sep 8 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in New York. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around New York
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7b | Mar 30 | Nov 20 |
| Albany | 6a | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| Brooklyn | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 19 |
| Buffalo | 6b | Apr 24 | Oct 26 |
| Rochester | 6b | Apr 24 | Oct 25 |
| Syracuse | 6a | Apr 29 | Oct 19 |
| Bronx | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 16 |
| Staten Island | 7b | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
| Jamaica | 7b | Apr 2 | Nov 14 |
| Schenectady | 6a | Apr 27 | Oct 15 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.