Frost dates for Patuxent River Nas, MD
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 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 15
typical year
Growing season
230 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 20 – Oct 4 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Onions | – | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 8 – 29 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Beets | – | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Kale | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Broccoli | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Cabbage | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 4 – 25 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 10 – Sep 6 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Basil | Mar 6 – 20 | Apr 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 | April 10 | March 29 | March 15 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 15 | 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 18 (April 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 29.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PATUXENT RIVER NAS, MD US (USW00013721), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 20 miles:
20653, 20670, 21622, 21627, 21634, 21669, 21675
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.