Connecticut vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Connecticut, the average last spring frost is April 17 in Hartford and April 5 in Bridgeport (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Hartford and Bridgeport for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Connecticut, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Hartford
When to plant tomatoes in Hartford?
In Hartford, Connecticut, the average last spring frost is April 17 and the average first fall frost is October 26 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, HARTFORD BRAINARD FLD station, 3.6 km from ZIP 06103). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 22 to May 28 and plant out seedlings May 1 to July 28, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Hartford (06103)
- Last spring frost: Apr 17 on average, May 1 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 26 on average, Oct 12 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to Apr 17 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 1 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 22 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to Apr 17 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 8 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings: Apr 3 to Apr 17 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 26 to Jul 26 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 15 to Aug 17 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 8 to May 7 Plant out seedlings: May 15 to Jul 28 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to Apr 17 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 15 to Jul 18 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 15 to Aug 22 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 20 to Apr 3 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: May 15 to Jul 28 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 20 to Apr 3 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Aug 27 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 15 to Aug 27 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jul 28 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 22 to May 21 Plant out slips: May 15 to Jun 18 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to May 28 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 28 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 15 to Jul 18 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 21 to Aug 20 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 21 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 3 to Sep 17 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 5 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 19 to Sep 2 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to May 7 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 19 to Sep 17 |
Bridgeport
When to plant tomatoes in Bridgeport?
In Bridgeport, Connecticut, the average last spring frost is April 5 and the average first fall frost is November 6 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, BRIDGEPORT SIKORSKY MEM AP station, 6.9 km from ZIP 06604). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 10 to May 16 and plant out seedlings April 17 to August 8, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Bridgeport (06604)
- Last spring frost: Apr 5 on average, Apr 17 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 6 on average, Oct 25 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 17 to Mar 26 Plant out seedlings: Mar 6 to Mar 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 10 to Mar 9 Plant out seedlings: Mar 6 to Mar 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 24 to Mar 26 Plant out seedlings: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 7 to Aug 6 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Aug 28 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 27 to Apr 25 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Aug 8 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 6 to Mar 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 6 to Mar 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jul 29 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Sep 2 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 6 to Mar 20 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 6 to Mar 20 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 10 to Apr 9 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Aug 8 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 6 to Mar 20 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Sep 7 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 6 to Mar 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Sep 7 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Aug 8 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 10 to May 9 Plant out slips: May 1 to Jun 29 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 10 to May 16 Plant out seedlings: Apr 17 to Aug 8 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jul 29 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 9 to Aug 8 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 9 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 14 to Sep 28 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 24 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 30 to Sep 13 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 27 to Apr 25 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 30 to Sep 28 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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