When to plant in Johnstown, NY
Planting dates worked out from Johnstown's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 249 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalMay 7about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 211 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
- EarlySep 211 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 8about half of years have had frost
- LateOct 209 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 153 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Cobleskill 2 Ese · 38.2 km away · station 356 m, town 205 m. How we match towns to stations
The station sits 151 m higher than the town, so frost dates here may be off by a week or more. Check them against local experience.
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 12 – May 10 | Jun 6 |
| Bush beans | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 3 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 10 |
| Potato | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 30 |
| Kale | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 1 |
| 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 24 – Oct 22 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | May 20 |
| Basil | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 17 |
Johnstown's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Apr 27 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 17 |
| 1992 | May 25 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 23 |
| 1995 | May 7 |
| 1996 | May 16 |
| 1997 | May 16 |
| 1998 | Jun 4 |
| 1999 | Apr 28 |
| 2000 | May 5 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 20 |
| 2003 | May 4 |
| 2004 | May 5 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | May 7 |
| 2008 | May 5 |
| 2009 | May 19 |
| 2010 | May 13 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | Apr 30 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | Apr 26 |
| 2015 | May 23 |
| 2016 | May 11 |
| 2018 | Apr 24 |
| 2019 | Apr 24 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 150 |
| 1990 | 184 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 144 |
| 1994 | 170 |
| 1996 | 140 |
| 1997 | 148 |
| 1998 | 120 |
| 1999 | 160 |
| 2001 | 132 |
| 2002 | 137 |
| 2003 | 155 |
| 2005 | 160 |
| 2006 | 134 |
| 2008 | 154 |
| 2009 | 145 |
| 2010 | 152 |
| 2011 | 187 |
| 2012 | 165 |
| 2013 | 161 |
| 2014 | 168 |
| 2015 | 146 |
| 2018 | 176 |
| 2019 | 163 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 15.9 °C |
| 1990 | 15.8 °C |
| 1991 | 16.7 °C |
| 1992 | 14.5 °C |
| 1993 | 15.8 °C |
| 1994 | 15.9 °C |
| 1996 | 15.4 °C |
| 1997 | 14.8 °C |
| 1998 | 16.7 °C |
| 1999 | 16.6 °C |
| 2001 | 15.8 °C |
| 2002 | 16.3 °C |
| 2003 | 15.4 °C |
| 2004 | 16.0 °C |
| 2005 | 16.7 °C |
| 2006 | 15.6 °C |
| 2008 | 15.8 °C |
| 2009 | 15.1 °C |
| 2010 | 16.8 °C |
| 2011 | 16.6 °C |
| 2012 | 16.4 °C |
| 2013 | 15.3 °C |
| 2014 | 15.4 °C |
| 2015 | 16.0 °C |
| 2016 | 15.9 °C |
| 2018 | 16.1 °C |
| 2019 | 15.5 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Cobleskill 2 Ese (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.