New Jersey vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In New Jersey, the average last spring frost is April 17 in Trenton and April 4 in Newark (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Trenton and Newark 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 New Jersey, 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.
Trenton
When to plant tomatoes in Trenton?
In Trenton, New Jersey, the average last spring frost is April 17 and the average first fall frost is October 28 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, TRENTON STATE COLLEGE station, 6.2 km from ZIP 08608). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 22 to May 28 and plant out seedlings May 6 to July 30, 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 Trenton (08608)
- Last spring frost: Apr 17 on average, May 6 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 28 on average, Oct 11 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 1 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 22 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 8 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 28 to Jul 28 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Aug 19 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 8 to May 7 Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Jul 30 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Jul 20 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Aug 24 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Jul 30 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 6 to Aug 29 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Aug 29 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 6 to Jul 30 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 22 to May 21 Plant out slips: May 20 to Jun 20 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to May 28 Plant out seedlings: May 6 to Jul 30 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Jul 20 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 21 to Aug 20 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 21 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 5 to Sep 19 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 5 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 21 to Sep 4 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to May 7 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 21 to Sep 19 |
Newark
When to plant tomatoes in Newark?
In Newark, New Jersey, the average last spring frost is April 4 and the average first fall frost is November 6 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, HARRISON station, 2.3 km from ZIP 07102). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 9 to May 15 and plant out seedlings April 16 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 Newark (07102)
- Last spring frost: Apr 4 on average, Apr 16 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 7b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 19 to Apr 2 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 16 to Mar 25 Plant out seedlings: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 9 to Mar 8 Plant out seedlings: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 19 to Apr 2 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 23 to Mar 25 Plant out seedlings: Mar 19 to Apr 2 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 7 to Aug 6 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 30 to Aug 28 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 26 to Apr 24 Plant out seedlings: Apr 30 to Aug 8 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 19 to Apr 2 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Apr 30 to Jul 29 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Apr 30 to Sep 2 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 5 to Mar 19 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 5 to Mar 19 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 9 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings: Apr 30 to Aug 8 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 5 to Mar 19 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 16 to Sep 7 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 30 to Sep 7 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 16 to Aug 8 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 9 to May 8 Plant out slips: Apr 30 to Jun 29 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 9 to May 15 Plant out seedlings: Apr 16 to Aug 8 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Apr 30 to Jul 29 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 8 to Aug 7 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 8 to Apr 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 14 to Sep 28 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 23 to Apr 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 30 to Sep 13 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 26 to Apr 24 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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