When to plant in Kingston, NS
Planting dates worked out from Kingston's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 24
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 11
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 4
1 year in 10 by Sep 23
Frost-free days
144
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Greenwood A · 2.1 km away · station 28 m, town 28 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 18 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 23 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 29 |
| Peas | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | Jun 13 |
| Bush beans | — | May 17 – Jun 7 | Jul 6 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 29 – Jun 10 | Jun 28 |
| Beet | — | Apr 29 – Jun 10 | Jun 18 |
| Potato | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jul 8 |
| Kale | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 8 |
| Broccoli | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 18 |
| Cucumber | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 13 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 8 |
| Winter squash | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Aug 12 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 17 – Jun 7 | Jul 16 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jul 18 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 20 – Oct 18 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | May 27 |
| Basil | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 20 |
Kingston's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1943 | May 16 |
| 1944 | Jun 5 |
| 1945 | Jun 3 |
| 1946 | May 30 |
| 1947 | Jun 5 |
| 1948 | May 21 |
| 1949 | May 22 |
| 1950 | May 22 |
| 1951 | Jun 10 |
| 1952 | May 24 |
| 1953 | May 3 |
| 1954 | May 28 |
| 1955 | May 18 |
| 1956 | May 27 |
| 1957 | May 22 |
| 1958 | May 17 |
| 1959 | May 7 |
| 1960 | May 1 |
| 1961 | May 6 |
| 1962 | May 16 |
| 1963 | May 27 |
| 1964 | May 16 |
| 1965 | May 27 |
| 1966 | May 18 |
| 1967 | May 14 |
| 1968 | May 28 |
| 1969 | May 16 |
| 1970 | May 25 |
| 1971 | Apr 30 |
| 1972 | May 26 |
| 1973 | Apr 26 |
| 1974 | May 28 |
| 1975 | May 10 |
| 1976 | Jun 2 |
| 1977 | May 9 |
| 1978 | Jun 2 |
| 1979 | May 12 |
| 1980 | May 25 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 23 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | May 16 |
| 1986 | May 14 |
| 1987 | May 20 |
| 1988 | May 10 |
| 1989 | Apr 30 |
| 1990 | May 26 |
| 1991 | May 23 |
| 1992 | May 26 |
| 1993 | May 10 |
| 1994 | Apr 30 |
| 1995 | May 5 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 6 |
| 1998 | May 13 |
| 1999 | May 15 |
| 2000 | May 4 |
| 2001 | May 1 |
| 2002 | May 21 |
| 2003 | May 17 |
| 2004 | May 17 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | May 8 |
| 2007 | May 24 |
| 2008 | May 15 |
| 2009 | Apr 27 |
| 2010 | May 12 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | May 7 |
| 2013 | May 4 |
| 2014 | May 29 |
| 2015 | Apr 26 |
| 2016 | May 1 |
| 2017 | Apr 25 |
| 2018 | Jun 4 |
| 2019 | May 10 |
| 2020 | May 24 |
| 2021 | Apr 25 |
| 2022 | May 9 |
| 2023 | May 23 |
| 2024 | May 11 |
| 2025 | May 2 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1943 | 125 |
| 1944 | 110 |
| 1945 | 105 |
| 1946 | 105 |
| 1947 | 106 |
| 1948 | 118 |
| 1949 | 112 |
| 1950 | 122 |
| 1951 | 113 |
| 1952 | 107 |
| 1953 | 138 |
| 1954 | 132 |
| 1955 | 114 |
| 1956 | 117 |
| 1957 | 144 |
| 1958 | 138 |
| 1959 | 160 |
| 1960 | 165 |
| 1961 | 179 |
| 1962 | 151 |
| 1963 | 108 |
| 1964 | 123 |
| 1965 | 108 |
| 1966 | 117 |
| 1967 | 119 |
| 1968 | 135 |
| 1969 | 125 |
| 1970 | 145 |
| 1971 | 149 |
| 1972 | 117 |
| 1973 | 144 |
| 1974 | 113 |
| 1975 | 147 |
| 1976 | 114 |
| 1977 | 137 |
| 1978 | 103 |
| 1979 | 134 |
| 1980 | 122 |
| 1981 | 145 |
| 1982 | 140 |
| 1983 | 144 |
| 1984 | 141 |
| 1985 | 148 |
| 1986 | 146 |
| 1987 | 130 |
| 1988 | 138 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 130 |
| 1991 | 130 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 129 |
| 1994 | 159 |
| 1995 | 141 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 141 |
| 1998 | 145 |
| 1999 | 145 |
| 2000 | 147 |
| 2001 | 152 |
| 2002 | 131 |
| 2003 | 138 |
| 2004 | 127 |
| 2005 | 168 |
| 2006 | 142 |
| 2007 | 128 |
| 2008 | 130 |
| 2009 | 170 |
| 2010 | 153 |
| 2011 | 171 |
| 2012 | 158 |
| 2013 | 160 |
| 2014 | 144 |
| 2015 | 165 |
| 2016 | 155 |
| 2017 | 158 |
| 2018 | 111 |
| 2019 | 164 |
| 2020 | 118 |
| 2021 | 165 |
| 2022 | 145 |
| 2023 | 152 |
| 2024 | 158 |
| 2025 | 142 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1943 | 13.2 °C |
| 1944 | 14.4 °C |
| 1945 | 14.0 °C |
| 1946 | 13.8 °C |
| 1947 | 14.4 °C |
| 1948 | 13.5 °C |
| 1949 | 14.8 °C |
| 1950 | 13.4 °C |
| 1951 | 14.8 °C |
| 1952 | 14.6 °C |
| 1953 | 14.4 °C |
| 1954 | 13.5 °C |
| 1955 | 14.1 °C |
| 1956 | 12.4 °C |
| 1957 | 13.8 °C |
| 1958 | 14.1 °C |
| 1959 | 14.7 °C |
| 1960 | 15.2 °C |
| 1961 | 14.5 °C |
| 1962 | 13.0 °C |
| 1963 | 13.2 °C |
| 1964 | 12.6 °C |
| 1965 | 12.8 °C |
| 1966 | 12.9 °C |
| 1967 | 13.4 °C |
| 1968 | 13.5 °C |
| 1969 | 13.6 °C |
| 1970 | 14.0 °C |
| 1971 | 14.2 °C |
| 1972 | 13.3 °C |
| 1973 | 14.4 °C |
| 1974 | 13.1 °C |
| 1975 | 13.7 °C |
| 1976 | 14.3 °C |
| 1977 | 13.3 °C |
| 1978 | 13.2 °C |
| 1979 | 14.0 °C |
| 1980 | 13.4 °C |
| 1981 | 13.8 °C |
| 1982 | 13.2 °C |
| 1983 | 14.5 °C |
| 1984 | 14.4 °C |
| 1985 | 13.4 °C |
| 1986 | 13.1 °C |
| 1987 | 14.2 °C |
| 1988 | 13.9 °C |
| 1989 | 14.7 °C |
| 1990 | 14.4 °C |
| 1991 | 14.2 °C |
| 1992 | 13.2 °C |
| 1993 | 13.9 °C |
| 1994 | 14.6 °C |
| 1995 | 13.7 °C |
| 1996 | 13.9 °C |
| 1997 | 13.6 °C |
| 1998 | 15.0 °C |
| 1999 | 15.9 °C |
| 2000 | 14.2 °C |
| 2001 | 15.1 °C |
| 2002 | 14.5 °C |
| 2003 | 14.7 °C |
| 2004 | 14.4 °C |
| 2005 | 14.6 °C |
| 2006 | 15.0 °C |
| 2007 | 13.9 °C |
| 2008 | 15.1 °C |
| 2009 | 14.7 °C |
| 2010 | 15.7 °C |
| 2011 | 14.9 °C |
| 2012 | 15.5 °C |
| 2013 | 15.0 °C |
| 2014 | 14.6 °C |
| 2015 | 14.7 °C |
| 2016 | 15.1 °C |
| 2017 | 15.3 °C |
| 2018 | 15.0 °C |
| 2019 | 14.1 °C |
| 2020 | 14.7 °C |
| 2021 | 15.5 °C |
| 2022 | 15.3 °C |
| 2023 | 15.2 °C |
| 2024 | 15.4 °C |
| 2025 | 15.0 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1943, Kingston's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Greenwood A (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.