Frost dates for Lewes, DE
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
March 29
typical year
Safe to plant
April 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 14
typical year
Growing season
231 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 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 8 – 29 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Beets | – | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 9 – Sep 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Basil | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 23 | – |
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 | April 9 | March 29 | March 13 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 14 | December 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 March 16 (March 30 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 28.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Slaughter Beach, Henlopen Acres
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LEWES, DE US (USC00075320), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
19930, 19958, 19968, 19970, 19971
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.