Newark, New Jersey frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | March 20 | November 25 |
| 70% | March 29 | November 16 |
| 50% | April 2 | November 10 |
| 30% | April 6 | November 4 |
| 10% | April 15 | October 28 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 15. These are NOAA probabilities for the Newark International Airport weather station (USW00014734, elevation 2 m), 1991–2020.
Newark vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 2). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 15) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 12 | Apr 9 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 | Mar 5 |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 22 | Mar 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 | Feb 26 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 5 | Mar 19 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 5 | Apr 2 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Mar 19 | Apr 9 |
| Kale | Jan 15 | Feb 26 |
| Leeks | Dec 18 | Feb 26 |
| Lettuce | Feb 12 | Mar 19 |
| Melons | Mar 26 | Apr 16 |
| Onions | Dec 11 | Feb 19 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 5 | Mar 5 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Feb 19 | Apr 16 |
| Squash | Mar 26 | Apr 16 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 5 | Apr 2 |
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 November 10. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 28. 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 November 22.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Apr 2 | Nov 14 | ~35 km |
| Allentown, PA | Apr 20 | Oct 24 | ~108 km |
| Philadelphia, PA | Apr 2 | Nov 10 | ~127 km |
| Hartford, CT | Apr 21 | Oct 16 | ~187 km |
| Harrisburg, PA | Apr 9 | Nov 2 | ~225 km |
| Albany, NY | Apr 27 | Oct 15 | ~231 km |