Frost dates for Newcastle, ME
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 27
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 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 30 – May 11 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 6 – 27 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Beets | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – 27 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Cabbage | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | 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 27 | April 16 |
| Fall frost before | October 3 | October 18 | November 2 |
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 14 (April 27 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 1.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station NEWCASTLE, ME US (USC00175675), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 11 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
04348, 04535, 04539, 04541, 04543, 04551, 04553, 04555, 04564, 04572, 04573
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.