Hartford, Connecticut frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | April 8 | November 2 |
| 70% | April 16 | October 23 |
| 50% | April 21 | October 16 |
| 30% | April 27 | October 10 |
| 10% | May 6 | October 3 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after May 6. These are NOAA probabilities for the Hartford Bradley International Airport weather station (USW00014740, elevation 58 m), 1991–2020.
Hartford vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 21). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (May 6) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 31 | Apr 28 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Feb 10 | Mar 24 |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 10 | Mar 24 |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 | Mar 17 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 24 | Apr 7 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 24 | Apr 21 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Apr 7 | Apr 28 |
| Kale | Feb 3 | Mar 17 |
| Leeks | Jan 6 | Mar 17 |
| Lettuce | Mar 3 | Apr 7 |
| Melons | Apr 14 | May 5 |
| Onions | Dec 30 | Mar 10 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 24 | Mar 24 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Mar 10 | May 5 |
| Squash | Apr 14 | May 5 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 24 | Apr 21 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 16. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 3. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around October 29.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | ~76 km |
| Providence, RI | Apr 11 | Oct 30 | ~106 km |
| Albany, NY | Apr 27 | Oct 15 | ~129 km |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Nov 9 | ~146 km |
| Manchester, NH | Apr 21 | Oct 19 | ~151 km |
| New York, NY | Apr 2 | Nov 14 | ~170 km |