Barre, VT 05061 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Barre, VT?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/13, roughly 258 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/02, about 141 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 5 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.
How much risk comes with planting early here
05/13 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/30 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/29 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Barre compares
Barre's growing season runs about 141 days, ranking 36,890 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within VT, it ranks 153 of 330.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Barre's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Barre can differ from the 05061 normal.