Planting Dates

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FIRST PLANTING DATES

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In Tompkins County, the last average frost date is May 14, and the first average fall frost is October 1. The chart below shows dates various popular garden vegetables can be planted as seeds, sets or transplants.

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First Seeding & Transplanting Dates for Vegetables in NY

* Indicates variety is transplanted
(x) Indicates variety may be transplanted or seeded. If transplanted probably should be later than date given.
(t) Indicates variety may be transplants, sets or seed.

As early as garden may be worked in spring or about April 15.	After the date of the last average frost in Ithaca area (May 14).	After the soil has become warm in spring-June 1.
Beets Broccoli (x) Brussels Sprouts (x) Cabbage (x) Carrots Cauliflower (x) Celery (x) Endive Kale Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Mustard Onions (t) Parsley Peas Radish Swiss Chard Spinach Turnips Rutabagas	Beans Eggplant* Pepper* Popcorn Potatoes Sweet Corn Tomatoes*	Basil Cucumber Muskmelon* Okra* Pumpkins* Squashes, Summer Squashes, Winter* Watermelon*

LAST PLANTING DATES

Average First Fall Frost: October 1

Questions often arise on how late a vegetable can be planted in the garden in New York State and still reach maturity or usable size before frost or cold weather stops growth.  The last dates listed below for each crop are based on observations at Ithaca, NY.  Most years the crop will reach the harvestable stage if planted by the date indicated, but yields of crops requiring multiple harvesting (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc.) likely will be rather light unless the fall weather is warmer than normal, and first frosts are unusually late.  In parts of New York where the fall weather averages milder than in Ithaca, planting a week to ten days later might be possible; for cooler areas move the dates 7-10 days earlier.

Last Seeding & Transplanting Dates

*  Indicates variety is transplanted
(x) Indicates variety may be transplanted or   seeded. If transplanted probably should be later than date given.
(t) Indicates variety may be transplants, sets or seed.

June 10	June 30	July 15	July 31	August 10	Sept. 10
Beans, lima  Edible cowpeas  Herbs, most  Muskmelons*  Okra*  Popcorn  Edible Soybeans  Tomatoes (late)*  Watermelon*	Beans, pole snap  Brussels sprouts  Cabbage (late)  Celeriac  Celery*  Eggplant*  Leeks  Peppers  Sweet corn (med.)  Tomatoes (early)	Beans, snap  Cabbage(medium)*  Carrots  Cauliflower (late)*  Chinese cabbage  Cucumbers  Lettuce, head  Lettuce, romaine  Onions, green  Parsley  Parsnip  Rutabagas  Squash, summer  Sweet corn (early)	Beets  Broccoli (late)*  Cabbage(early)*    Collards  Endive  Kale  Kohlrabi  Lettuce, Bibb  Mustard  Peas  Radish, Chinese  Swiss chard	Broccoli (early)*  Cauliflower(early)*  Lettuce, leaf  Spinach  Turnip	Radish

Last updated January 3, 2024