Raritan, NJ 08876 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Raritan, NJ?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/30, about 245 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/20, about 172 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Raritan in Zone 7a (0 to 5°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 8 weeks of growing season left in Raritan before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/30 isn't a guarantee
04/30 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/15 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/14 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Raritan compares
At roughly 172 frost-free days, Raritan places 28,244 of 40,283 ZIP codes in this dataset. Within NJ, it ranks 872 of 906.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Raritan's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Raritan can differ from the 08876 normal.