Frost dates for Bristol, CT
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 25
typical year
Safe to plant
May 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 18
typical year
Growing season
172 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 28 – May 9 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 4 – 18 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 4 – 25 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Beets | – | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Kale | Feb 14 – 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 11 – 25 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Cabbage | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 6 – 27 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 15 – 29 | May 10 – 24 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 8 – 22 | May 17 – 31 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 10 – 31 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 10 – Jun 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 10 – 31 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 10 – Aug 9 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 10 – Jun 7 | – |
| Basil | Apr 5 – 19 | May 17 – 24 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 10 | April 25 | April 12 |
| Fall frost before | October 4 | October 18 | November 1 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 13 (April 29 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 30.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Bristol
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BURLINGTON, CT US (USC00060973), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 14 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
06001, 06010, 06013, 06019, 06020, 06032, 06062, 06070, 06085, 06089, 06782, 06786, 06787, 06795
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.