Seed Starting Calendar for Rhode Island

Q: When is the last frost in Rhode Island?

It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in Rhode Island is April 7 at Newport Rose; the latest is April 27 at Kingston 1 NW. A median is a coin flip: at Newport the last 32°F freeze comes after April 11 in half of years, and has passed by April 24 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

Q: When can I plant tomatoes outside in Rhode Island?

UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Newport is Apr 18 to Apr 25 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is April 24, when 9 of 10 springs at Newport have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Apr 4 to Apr 18).

Q: What months do I plant vegetables in Rhode Island?

University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension publishes planting months by region (Rhode Island). For Rhode Island, tomatoes go in during June. Seeds for transplants go in 4 to 10 weeks ahead of those months, depending on the crop.

Q: What does University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension say about planting dates in Rhode Island?

University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension's Rhode Island Planting Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables puts it this way: "Dates are based on final frost on May 15 and first frost on October 15." The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).

Q: How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

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 Newport that is Feb 14 to Feb 28 for peppers.

Q: How long do seedlings need to harden off?

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.

Median last frost from Apr 7 to Apr 27 across Rhode Island

NOAA stations

Median last frost, Newport

Apr 11

Passed in 9 of 10 years

Apr 24

Last frost

Last spring frost dates in Rhode Island

Providence and Newport share a median last frost around Apr 11, while Foster, inland near the Connecticut line, waits until about Apr 25, two weeks later.

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.

Station	Elevation	Early (1 in 10 years later than this)	Median last frost	Passed in 9 of 10 years	Median first fall frost
ProvidenceProvidence T F Green Airport, USW00014765	60 ft	Apr 1	Apr 11	Apr 23	Oct 30
NewportNewport State Airport, USW00014787	172 ft	Mar 31	Apr 11	Apr 24	Nov 4
FosterN Foster 1 E, USC00375270	630 ft	Apr 13	Apr 25	May 9	Oct 19

Crop chart

When to start seeds in Rhode Island, spring 2027

Counted back from the median last frost at Newport, April 11. 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 11
Crop	Start indoors	Set out	Sow outdoors	Frost class
Tomato	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 18 to Apr 25		Tender, very tender
Pepper	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Apr 25 to May 2		Tender, very tender
Eggplant	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Apr 25 to May 2		Tender, very tender
Basil	Feb 28 to Mar 14	Apr 25 to May 2		Tender
Celery	Jan 17 to Jan 31	Apr 11 to Apr 18		Tender
Cucumber	Mar 21 to Mar 28	Apr 18 to Apr 25	Apr 11 to Apr 18	Tender
Summer squash	Mar 28 to Apr 4	Apr 25 to May 2	Apr 11 to Apr 18	Tender
Winter squash	Mar 28 to Apr 4	Apr 25 to May 2	Apr 25 to May 2	Tender, very tender
Pumpkin	Mar 28 to Apr 4	Apr 25 to May 2	Apr 25 to May 2	Tender, very tender
Melon (cantaloupe)	Mar 28 to Apr 4	Apr 25 to May 2		Tender, very tender
Watermelon	Mar 21 to Apr 4	Apr 25 to May 2		Tender, very tender
Onion (from seed)	Jan 3 to Jan 17	Mar 14 to Mar 21		Hardy
Leek	Jan 3 to Jan 17	Mar 14 to Mar 21		Hardy
Parsley	Jan 10 to Jan 17	Mar 21 to Mar 28		Half-hardy
Broccoli	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Mar 28		Hardy
Brussels sprouts	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Mar 28		Hardy
Cabbage	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Mar 21		Hardy
Cauliflower	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 4		Half-hardy
Kale	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Mar 21		Hardy
Lettuce	Feb 7 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Mar 21		Hardy
Swiss chard	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 4	Mar 14 to Mar 21	Half-hardy
Spinach	Jan 17 to Jan 31	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Mar 14 to Mar 28	Hardy
Peas			Mar 14 to Mar 28	Hardy
Radish			Mar 14 to Mar 28	Hardy
Carrot			Mar 28 to Apr 11	Half-hardy
Beet			Mar 28 to Apr 11	Half-hardy
Beans			Apr 11 to Apr 18	Tender
Sweet corn			Apr 11 to Apr 18	Tender

Six square pots of dark compost seen from above, each holding a single seedling with two narrow seed leaves — 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 University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension advises

University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension publishes the planting guide Rhode Island gardeners work from, Rhode Island Planting Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables (R03).

“Dates are based on final frost on May 15 and first frost on October 15.”

University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, Rhode Island Planting Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables, quoted exactly.

Planting months

University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension planting months for Rhode Island

The extension also publishes planting months by region. Each filled cell is a month the guide gives for planting that crop.

Rhode Island (statewide; dates based on final frost May 15 and first frost October 15)

Crop	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
tomato				Jun
pepper			May	Jun
eggplant				Jun
broccoli			May			Aug
cabbage		Apr		Jun	Jul
cauliflower			May		Jul
lettuce	Mar	Apr	May				Sep
onion		Apr
kale		Apr	May		Jul	Aug	Sep
cucumber			May	Jun
melon				Jun
peas	Mar	Apr	May
spinach	Mar	Apr	May			Aug	Sep
carrot	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul
beans			May	Jun	Jul	Aug
sweet corn			May	Jun

Planting months from University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, Rhode Island Planting Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables, read 2026-09-21. Tomatoes in Rhode Island: June.

A gardener kneeling beside a raised bed setting a young tomato plant into dark soil, an empty nursery pot beside her — 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 Rhode Island

When should I start seeds indoors in Rhode Island?

Count back from the median last frost where you garden. At Newport (Newport State Airport) that date is April 11, so for spring 2027 onions start indoors Jan 3 to Jan 17, peppers Feb 14 to Feb 28 and tomatoes Feb 21 to Mar 7. Across Rhode Island's 9 NOAA stations the median last frost runs from Apr 7 to Apr 27 for the middle 90 percent, so a garden near Kingston 1 NW starts later than one near Newport Rose.

When is the last frost in Rhode Island?

When can I plant tomatoes outside in Rhode Island?

What months do I plant vegetables in Rhode Island?

What does University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension say about planting dates in Rhode Island?

How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

How long do seedlings need to harden off?

Why do seed starting dates differ across Rhode Island?

Frost dates from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal, by station (v1.0.1). Planting guidance from University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, quoted exactly. Seed starting weeks from UNH Cooperative Extension. Compiled 2026-09-21.

First frost in Rhode IslandThe other end of the season: when fall frost ends the tender crops.Soil temperatureBeans, corn and squash sown direct wait on warm soil as well as the last frost.Rhode Island lawn care calendarSpring seeding, feeding and mowing dates on the same climate.Fall planting calendarGarlic, cool season crops and a second sowing window in the fall.Frost dates by ZIPFirst and last frost odds for any address.