Frost dates for Cortland, NY
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 23
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 8
typical year
Growing season
154 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 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Onions | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jul 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 27 – Sep 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 23 – Jun 6 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 30 – Jun 13 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 23 – Jun 13 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 23 – Jun 20 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 23 – Jun 13 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 23 – Jul 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 23 – Jun 20 | – |
| Basil | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 30 – Jun 6 | – |
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 23 | May 7 | April 23 |
| Fall frost before | September 27 | October 8 | October 25 |
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 25 (May 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Cortland, Groton, Dryden, Freeville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FREEVILLE 1 NE, NY US (USC00303050), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
13045, 13062, 13068, 13073, 13092, 13102
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.