Newbury, VT 03238 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Newbury, VT?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/15, roughly 260 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 09/28, about 133 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Newbury in Zone 5a (-20 to -15°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 4 weeks of growing season left in Newbury before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/15 isn't a guarantee
05/15 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 05/01 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 06/03 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Newbury compares
Newbury's growing season runs about 133 days, ranking 38,093 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within VT, it ranks 248 of 330.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5a and Newbury's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Newbury's dates instead of trusting one.