Frost dates for Ithaca, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
May 29
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 4
typical year
Growing season
145 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 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 1 – 22 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Onions | – | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Broccoli | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 23 – Sep 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 3 – 17 | May 29 – Jun 12 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jun 5 – 19 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 29 – Jun 19 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 29 – Jun 26 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 29 – Jun 19 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 29 – Jul 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 29 – Jun 26 | – |
| Basil | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 5 – 12 | – |
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 29 | May 13 | April 27 |
| Fall frost before | September 23 | October 4 | October 23 |
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 30 (May 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 20.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ITHACA 13 E, NY US (USW00064758), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
13053, 13736, 13738, 13784, 13835, 14817
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.