Frost dates for Mount Vernon, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
April 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 16
typical year
Growing season
230 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Beets | – | Mar 4 – 18 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Kale | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – 18 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Broccoli | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Cabbage | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 12 – Sep 7 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Basil | Mar 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – 26 | – |
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 12 | April 1 | March 19 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 16 | December 4 |
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 23 (April 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 30.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 11 towns.
Mount Vernon, Great Neck, Pelham, Manorhaven, Kings Point, Pelham Manor, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Port Washington North, Great Neck Estates, Sands Point, Saddle Rock
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BRONX, NY US (USC00300961), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 37 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
07632, 10033, 10034, 10040, 10452, 10453, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10461, 10462, 10463, 10464, 10465, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10470, 10471, 10472, 10473, 10475, 10550, 10553, 10704, 10705, 10801, 10803, 10805, 11023, 11024, 11050, 11359, 11363
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.