Frost dates for Montauk, 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
April 7
typical year
Safe to plant
April 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 15
typical year
Growing season
222 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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 10 – 31 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Onions | – | Mar 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Beets | – | Mar 10 – 24 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Kale | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 10 – 24 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Broccoli | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Cabbage | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 10 – 24 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 4 – 25 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 27 – May 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 20 – Sep 6 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Basil | Mar 16 – 30 | Apr 27 – May 4 | – |
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 20 | April 7 | March 26 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 15 | November 29 |
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 26 (April 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 27.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MONTAUK AP, NY US (USW00054780), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 2 miles:
11954
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.