Bridgeport, Connecticut: planting zone & frost dates
Bridgeport is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 9 and the first fall frost around Nov 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 17 | Oct 25 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 5 | Nov 6 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station BRIDGEPORT SIKORSKY MEM AP, CT (USW00094702), 4.0 mi (6.5 km) from the city center and 39 ft lower than the city center (-12 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Bridgeport
All 6 ZIP codes covering Bridgeport are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Bridgeport
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 9, first frost Nov 1). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 16 – May 21 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 16 – May 14 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Onion | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 26 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Eggplant | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 23 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
Nearby cities in Connecticut
- Norwalk — zone 7a, last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 16
- New Haven — zone 7a, last frost Apr 22, first frost Oct 20
- Danbury — zone 6b, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 7
- Stamford — zone 7a, last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 16
- Waterbury — zone 6b, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 11
- Hartford — zone 6b, last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 20
More: all Connecticut cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Bridgeport gardening questions
When is the last frost in Bridgeport, CT?
Plan around Apr 9. At NOAA's Bridgeport Sikorsky Mem Airport, CT station, 4.0 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 5, and after Apr 17 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 26. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 23 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Bridgeport, CT?
Start seeds indoors Feb 12 – Feb 26 and set transplants outside Apr 16 – Apr 30, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 206 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Bridgeport?
About 216 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 198 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 234 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 25 and a 30% chance by Nov 1. That is the longest of the 7 Connecticut cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Bridgeport?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 1): transplant broccoli Aug 9 – Aug 23; sow kale Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow lettuce Aug 23 – Sep 20; sow radishes Sep 20 – Oct 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 19. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Bridgeport's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Bridgeport is zone 7a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Bridgeport compare with Norwalk, CT?
Both are in zone 7a. The typical last spring frost in Bridgeport (Apr 9) comes about 14 days earlier than in Norwalk, CT (Apr 23), 13 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 1 versus Oct 16. The two cities use different NOAA stations.