Frost dates for N Conway, 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 7
typical year
Safe to plant
May 19
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 5
typical year
Growing season
150 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 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Onions | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 24 – Sep 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 19 – Jun 2 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 17 – 31 | May 26 – Jun 9 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 19 – Jun 9 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 19 – Jun 16 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 19 – Jun 9 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 19 – Jul 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 19 – Jun 16 | – |
| Basil | Apr 14 – 28 | May 26 – Jun 2 | – |
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 19 | May 7 | April 27 |
| Fall frost before | September 23 | October 5 | October 20 |
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 26 (May 9 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station N CONWAY, NH US (USC00275995), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
03812, 03813, 03838, 03845, 03847, 03860
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.