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When to plant in Durham, NY

Planting dates worked out from Durham's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.

Last spring frost

  1. Early · riskyApr 239 years in 10 still get a later frost
  2. TypicalMay 7about half of years get a later frost
  3. Safe to plant outMay 181 year in 10 gets a later frost

Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.

First fall frost

  1. EarlySep 301 year in 10 has frost by then
  2. TypicalOct 13about half of years have had frost
  3. LateOct 279 years in 10 have had frost by then

A typical year has 157 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.

Station used: Alcove Dam · 21.6 km away · station 191 m, town 235 m. How we match towns to stations

This season

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Planting dates for common crops

CropStart indoorsPlant out or sowHarvest from
Tomato Mar 23 – Apr 6 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 12
Sweet pepper Mar 9 – Mar 23 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 17
Lettuce (leaf) Mar 5 – Mar 12 Apr 9 – Apr 23 May 19
Peas — Apr 9 – May 7 Jun 3
Bush beans — May 11 – Jun 1 Jun 30
Carrot — Apr 19 – May 31 Jun 18
Beet — Apr 19 – May 31 Jun 8
Potato — Apr 19 – May 10 Jun 28
Kale Mar 5 – Mar 19 Apr 16 – Apr 30 May 29
Broccoli Feb 26 – Mar 12 Apr 9 – Apr 30 Jun 8
Cucumber Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 7
Summer squash and zucchini Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 2
Winter squash Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Aug 6
Sweet corn — May 11 – Jun 1 Jul 10
Onion (from sets) — Apr 9 – Apr 30 Jul 8
Garlic — Sep 29 – Oct 27 (fall) following summer
Spinach — Apr 9 – May 7 May 17
Basil Apr 6 – Apr 20 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 14

Plan all 65 crops for Durham

Durham's weather over time

How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.

Apr 15May 1May 15Jun 1Jun 15 19501960197019801990200020102020
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
YearLast spring frost
1943May 15
1944May 20
1945May 11
1946May 9
1947May 31
1949Apr 30
1952May 17
1953Jun 3
1955Apr 24
1956May 29
1957May 17
1958May 24
1959May 18
1960May 3
1961May 31
1963May 27
1964May 4
1965May 31
1966May 10
1967Jun 2
1968May 27
1969May 28
1970May 29
1971Jun 1
1972May 27
1973Jun 3
1974May 26
1975May 8
1976May 23
1977May 10
1978May 8
1979May 3
1980Jun 12
1981May 20
1983May 18
1984May 18
1986May 10
1987May 16
1989Apr 26
1991Apr 24
1992May 7
1993Apr 29
1997May 29
1999May 13
2000May 16
2001May 8
2002May 22
2004May 5
2005May 13
2006Apr 30
2007May 16
2008May 5
2009May 19
2010May 13
2011Apr 23
2012May 1
2013May 15
2014May 7
2015Apr 26
2016May 10
2017Apr 16
2018Apr 23
2019Apr 29
2020May 14
2021Apr 23
2022May 10
2023May 18
2024Apr 26
2025Apr 22
2026Apr 25

What this means for you: Since 1943, Durham's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 7 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.

Source: daily records from Alcove Dam (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.

Nearby towns

CairoBerneMiddleburghPalenvilleJefferson HeightsRavena