Frost dates for Springfield Hartness, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
May 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 3
typical year
Growing season
143 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 8 – 22 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Onions | – | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Broccoli | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 22 – Sep 12 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 2 – 16 | May 28 – Jun 11 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Jun 4 – 18 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 28 – Jun 18 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 28 – Jun 25 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 28 – Jun 18 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 28 – Jul 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 28 – Jun 25 | – |
| Basil | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jun 4 – 11 | – |
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 28 | May 13 | April 28 |
| Fall frost before | September 20 | October 3 | October 15 |
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 29 (May 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 13.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SPRINGFIELD HARTNESS AP, VT US (USW00054740), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
05143, 05146, 05150, 05151
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.