Frost dates for Milford, NH
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
May 3
typical year
Safe to plant
May 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 5
typical year
Growing season
156 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 | – | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 5 – 26 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 5 – May 17 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Onions | – | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Kale | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 24 – Sep 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 13 – 27 | May 22 – Jun 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 15 – Jul 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Basil | Apr 10 – 24 | May 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | May 3 | April 22 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 5 | October 18 |
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 20 (May 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 16.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MILFORD, NH US (USC00275412), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
03031, 03055, 03057, 03082
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.