When to plant in Middlebury, CT
Planting dates worked out from Middlebury's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 21
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 10
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 7
1 year in 10 by Sep 24
Frost-free days
151
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bakersville · 36.3 km away · station 209 m, town 212 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 26 – Apr 9 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 15 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 20 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 22 |
| Peas | — | Apr 6 – May 4 | May 31 |
| Bush beans | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 3 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 19 – May 31 | Jun 18 |
| Beet | — | Apr 16 – May 28 | Jun 5 |
| Potato | — | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 28 |
| Kale | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | May 26 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 11 |
| Cucumber | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 10 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 5 |
| Winter squash | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Aug 9 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 13 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 11 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 23 – Oct 21 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 6 – May 4 | May 14 |
| Basil | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 17 |
Middlebury'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 |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Apr 26 |
| 1992 | May 26 |
| 1993 | Apr 30 |
| 1994 | May 28 |
| 1995 | May 8 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 9 |
| 1998 | May 14 |
| 1999 | May 1 |
| 2000 | May 16 |
| 2001 | May 8 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | May 18 |
| 2004 | May 5 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | Apr 30 |
| 2007 | May 14 |
| 2008 | May 21 |
| 2009 | May 20 |
| 2010 | May 13 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | May 1 |
| 2013 | May 16 |
| 2014 | May 7 |
| 2015 | Apr 27 |
| 2016 | May 11 |
| 2017 | May 11 |
| 2018 | Apr 25 |
| 2019 | Apr 30 |
| 2020 | May 21 |
| 2021 | Apr 24 |
| 2022 | May 2 |
| 2023 | May 19 |
| 2024 | Apr 28 |
| 2025 | Apr 22 |
| 2026 | Apr 26 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 148 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 142 |
| 1994 | 127 |
| 1995 | 143 |
| 1996 | 141 |
| 1998 | 143 |
| 1999 | 157 |
| 2000 | 135 |
| 2001 | 151 |
| 2002 | 144 |
| 2003 | 137 |
| 2004 | 152 |
| 2005 | 160 |
| 2006 | 165 |
| 2007 | 164 |
| 2008 | 135 |
| 2009 | 135 |
| 2010 | 153 |
| 2011 | 165 |
| 2012 | 164 |
| 2013 | 159 |
| 2014 | 151 |
| 2015 | 170 |
| 2016 | 152 |
| 2017 | 158 |
| 2018 | 171 |
| 2019 | 157 |
| 2020 | 122 |
| 2021 | 192 |
| 2022 | 159 |
| 2023 | 157 |
| 2024 | 171 |
| 2025 | 170 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.7 °C |
| 1992 | 14.8 °C |
| 1993 | 16.1 °C |
| 1994 | 16.3 °C |
| 1995 | 15.8 °C |
| 1996 | 15.8 °C |
| 1998 | 17.2 °C |
| 1999 | 17.3 °C |
| 2000 | 15.7 °C |
| 2001 | 16.6 °C |
| 2002 | 16.9 °C |
| 2003 | 16.0 °C |
| 2004 | 15.9 °C |
| 2005 | 17.3 °C |
| 2006 | 16.8 °C |
| 2007 | 16.5 °C |
| 2008 | 16.3 °C |
| 2009 | 15.7 °C |
| 2010 | 17.7 °C |
| 2011 | 17.1 °C |
| 2012 | 16.9 °C |
| 2013 | 16.1 °C |
| 2014 | 16.0 °C |
| 2015 | 16.8 °C |
| 2016 | 16.7 °C |
| 2017 | 16.3 °C |
| 2018 | 16.8 °C |
| 2019 | 16.5 °C |
| 2020 | 16.6 °C |
| 2021 | 17.0 °C |
| 2022 | 17.0 °C |
| 2023 | 16.5 °C |
| 2024 | 17.1 °C |
| 2025 | 16.9 °C |
| 2026 | 16.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1991, Middlebury's last spring frost has come about 4 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 9 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Bakersville (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.