Barre, VT 05036 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Barre, VT?
Around 05/18 is the usual last spring frost, about 263 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 09/28, about 133 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Barre 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 Barre before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/18 isn't a guarantee
05/18 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 05/02 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/30 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Barre compares
Barre's growing season runs about 133 days, ranking 38,040 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within VT, it ranks 241 of 330.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5a and Barre's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Barre's dates instead of trusting one.