New York, NY 11232 Frost Dates
When can you plant in New York, NY?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 03/30, roughly 214 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/20, about 236 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts New York in Zone 7b (5 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 12 weeks of growing season left in New York before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/30 isn't a guarantee
03/30 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/14 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/09 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How New York compares
New York's growing season runs about 236 days, ranking 9,200 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NY, it ranks 41 of 1,951.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in New York can differ from the 11232 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 7b and New York's frost date answer different questions.