Median last frost from Apr 6 to May 20 across New York
NOAA stations
174
Median last frost, Syracuse
Apr 29
Passed in 9 of 10 years
May 13
Last frost
Last spring frost dates in New York
Central Park reaches its median last frost around Mar 30 and Montauk around Apr 7, while Syracuse waits until about Apr 29 and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks until about May 27.
Three dates per station from the NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals. The median is the date half of springs run past. The last column is the date the last 32°F night has passed by in 9 years out of 10, the one to hold tender transplants for.
Counted back from the median last frost at Syracuse, April 29. Pick another station to redraw the chart for it.
Start indoorsHarden offSet outSow outdoorsMedian last frostLast freeze passed in 9 of 10 years
Every crop, counted from a median last frost of April 29
Crop
Start indoors
Set out
Sow outdoors
Frost class
Tomato
Mar 11 to Mar 25
May 6 to May 13
Tender, very tender
Pepper
Mar 4 to Mar 18
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Eggplant
Mar 4 to Mar 18
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Basil
Mar 18 to Apr 1
May 13 to May 20
Tender
Celery
Feb 4 to Feb 18
Apr 29 to May 6
Tender
Cucumber
Apr 8 to Apr 15
May 6 to May 13
Apr 29 to May 6
Tender
Summer squash
Apr 15 to Apr 22
May 13 to May 20
Apr 29 to May 6
Tender
Winter squash
Apr 15 to Apr 22
May 13 to May 20
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Pumpkin
Apr 15 to Apr 22
May 13 to May 20
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Melon (cantaloupe)
Apr 15 to Apr 22
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Watermelon
Apr 8 to Apr 22
May 13 to May 20
Tender, very tender
Onion (from seed)
Jan 21 to Feb 4
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Hardy
Leek
Jan 21 to Feb 4
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Hardy
Parsley
Jan 28 to Feb 4
Apr 8 to Apr 15
Half-hardy
Broccoli
Feb 18 to Mar 4
Apr 1 to Apr 15
Hardy
Brussels sprouts
Feb 18 to Mar 4
Apr 1 to Apr 15
Hardy
Cabbage
Feb 18 to Mar 4
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Hardy
Cauliflower
Mar 4 to Mar 18
Apr 15 to Apr 22
Half-hardy
Kale
Feb 18 to Mar 4
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Hardy
Lettuce
Feb 25 to Mar 4
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Hardy
Swiss chard
Mar 4 to Mar 18
Apr 15 to Apr 22
Apr 1 to Apr 8
Half-hardy
Spinach
Feb 4 to Feb 18
Mar 18 to Apr 8
Apr 1 to Apr 15
Hardy
Peas
Apr 1 to Apr 15
Hardy
Radish
Apr 1 to Apr 15
Hardy
Carrot
Apr 15 to Apr 29
Half-hardy
Beet
Apr 15 to Apr 29
Half-hardy
Beans
Apr 29 to May 6
Tender
Sweet corn
Apr 29 to May 6
Tender
Tomato seedlings at the seed leaf stage, one to a pot. The University of Minnesota Extension holds off on fertilizer until a seedling has several sets of true leaves, then feeds at quarter strength once a week.“Tomato Seedlings (49768696597)” by Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
Extension guide
What Cornell Garden-Based Learning advises
Cornell Cooperative Extension (Cornell Garden-Based Learning) publishes the planting guide New York gardeners work from, Indoor Vegetable Seed Starting.
“It ideal to plant warm season crops outside 2 to 3 weeks after average last frost when the soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures are consistently above 45°F.”
“Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds about 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date while cumbers, melons or squash are start only about 3 weeks before.”
“Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds about 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date while cumbers, melons or squash are start only about 3 weeks before.”
“Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds about 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date while cumbers, melons or squash are start only about 3 weeks before.”
“Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds about 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date while cumbers, melons or squash are start only about 3 weeks before.”
Setting out a tomato in June at a community garden. Tender crops go out after the last frost, and after a week or two of hardening off outdoors. “Volunteer planting heirloom tomato (4704185147)”, Pacific Southwest Region 5, Public domain
Seed starting questions for New York
Count back from the median last frost where you garden. At Syracuse (Syracuse Hancock Intl Airport) that date is April 29, so for spring 2027 onions start indoors Jan 21 to Feb 4, peppers Mar 4 to Mar 18 and tomatoes Mar 11 to Mar 25. Across New York's 174 NOAA stations the median last frost runs from Apr 6 to May 20 for the middle 90 percent, so a garden near Saranac Regional Airport starts later than one near New York Laguardia Airport.
It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in New York is March 26 at New York Laguardia Airport; the latest is June 2 at Saranac Regional Airport. A median is a coin flip: at Syracuse the last 32°F freeze comes after April 29 in half of years, and has passed by May 13 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).
UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Syracuse is May 6 to May 13 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is May 13, when 9 of 10 springs at Syracuse have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Apr 22 to May 6).
Cornell Cooperative Extension (Cornell Garden-Based Learning)'s Indoor Vegetable Seed Starting puts it this way: "It ideal to plant warm season crops outside 2 to 3 weeks after average last frost when the soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures are consistently above 45°F." The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).
UNH Extension gives 8 to 10 weeks from seed to transplant for both, and sets peppers out 2 weeks after the last frost and eggplant 2 to 3 weeks after, so the sowing date is 6 to 8 weeks before the median last frost. At Syracuse that is Mar 4 to Mar 18 for peppers.
About two weeks. University of Missouri Extension: "Hardening should be started about two weeks before planting in the garden." University of Minnesota Extension adds that seedlings should go out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.
Central Park reaches its median last frost around Mar 30 and Montauk around Apr 7, while Syracuse waits until about Apr 29 and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks until about May 27. Each station carries its own dates: New York City Mar 30 and Lake Placid May 27 at the median.
