Frost dates for N Hartland Lake, VT
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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
May 22
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 6
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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Onions | – | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Kale | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Cabbage | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 25 – Sep 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 22 – Jun 5 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 29 – Jun 12 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 22 – Jun 12 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 22 – Jun 19 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 22 – Jun 12 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 22 – Jul 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 22 – Jun 19 | – |
| Basil | Apr 17 – May 1 | May 29 – Jun 5 | – |
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 22 | May 8 | April 27 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 6 | October 19 |
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 27 (May 8 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station N HARTLAND LAKE, VT US (USC00435768), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
03781, 05048, 05052, 05089
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.