Burlington, VT 05401 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Burlington, VT?
Around 04/29 is the usual last spring frost, about 244 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/15, about 169 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Burlington in Zone 5b (-15 to -10°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 7 weeks of growing season left in Burlington 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
04/29 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/17 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/11 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Burlington compares
About 169 days separate Burlington's last and first frost, putting it 29,321 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within VT, it ranks 2 of 330.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5b and Burlington's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Burlington's dates instead of trusting one.