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When to plant in Water Mill, NY

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

Last spring frost

  1. Early · riskyApr 129 years in 10 still get a later frost
  2. TypicalApr 24about half of years get a later frost
  3. Safe to plant outMay 81 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. EarlyOct 81 year in 10 has frost by then
  2. TypicalOct 23about half of years have had frost
  3. LateNov 79 years in 10 have had frost by then

A typical year has 183 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.

Station used: Bridgehampton · 5.2 km away · station 13 m, town 3 m. How we match towns to stations

This season

Plan your garden.

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Planting dates for common crops

CropStart indoorsPlant out or sowHarvest from
Tomato Mar 13 – Mar 27 May 8 – May 22 Jul 2
Sweet pepper Feb 27 – Mar 13 May 8 – May 22 Jul 7
Lettuce (leaf) Feb 24 – Mar 3 Mar 31 – Apr 14 May 10
Peas — Mar 31 – Apr 28 May 25
Bush beans — May 1 – May 22 Jun 20
Carrot — Apr 11 – May 23 Jun 10
Beet — Apr 11 – May 23 May 31
Potato — Apr 11 – May 2 Jun 20
Kale Feb 24 – Mar 10 Apr 7 – Apr 21 May 20
Broccoli Feb 17 – Mar 3 Mar 31 – Apr 21 May 30
Cucumber Apr 10 – Apr 17 May 8 – May 22 Jun 27
Summer squash and zucchini Apr 10 – Apr 17 May 8 – May 22 Jun 22
Winter squash Apr 10 – Apr 17 May 8 – May 22 Jul 27
Sweet corn — May 1 – May 22 Jun 30
Onion (from sets) — Mar 31 – Apr 21 Jun 29
Garlic — Oct 9 – Nov 6 (fall) following summer
Spinach — Mar 31 – Apr 28 May 8
Basil Mar 27 – Apr 10 May 8 – May 22 Jul 4

Plan all 65 crops for Water Mill

Water Mill's weather over time

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

Apr 1Apr 15May 1May 15 194019501960197019801990200020102020
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
YearLast spring frost
1931Apr 17
1932Apr 28
1933Apr 28
1934Apr 30
1935Apr 17
1936Apr 25
1937Apr 26
1938Apr 11
1939Apr 13
1940Apr 15
1941Apr 7
1942Apr 11
1943Apr 21
1944Apr 6
1945Apr 24
1946Apr 18
1947Apr 23
1948Apr 26
1949Apr 29
1950Apr 17
1951Mar 27
1952Apr 12
1953Apr 14
1954Apr 10
1955Apr 9
1956Apr 21
1957Apr 16
1958Apr 10
1959Apr 14
1960Apr 20
1961Apr 21
1962Apr 21
1963Apr 29
1964May 4
1965Apr 25
1966Apr 17
1967Apr 30
1968May 8
1969Apr 13
1970Apr 17
1971Apr 17
1972Apr 28
1973Apr 21
1974Apr 20
1975Apr 23
1976Apr 13
1977Apr 15
1978May 1
1979Apr 22
1980Apr 18
1981May 9
1982Apr 23
1983Apr 23
1984Apr 22
1985May 9
1986Apr 15
1987May 14
1988May 9
1989Apr 23
1990Apr 19
1991Apr 13
1992May 20
1995May 8
1996May 14
1997Apr 22
1998Apr 13
1999Apr 17
2000May 1
2001May 7
2002Apr 27
2003May 5
2004Apr 10
2005Apr 22
2006Apr 13
2007Apr 11
2008May 1
2009Apr 17
2010Apr 14
2011Apr 10
2012Apr 30
2013Apr 22
2014Apr 21
2015Apr 26
2018Apr 24
2019Apr 12
2020Apr 23
2022Apr 22
2023Apr 11
2024Apr 27
2025Apr 18
2026Apr 26

What this means for you: Since 1931, Water Mill's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.

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

Nearby towns

BridgehamptonSouthamptonTuckahoeNorth SeaNoyackSag Harbor