Clifton, New Jersey: planting zone & frost dates
Clifton 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 20 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 1 | Oct 13 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 20 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 15 | Oct 28 |
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 LITTLE FALLS, NJ (USC00284887), 3.8 mi (6.1 km) from the city center and 7 ft lower than the city center (-2 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Clifton
Clifton spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 7a (87%), 7b (13%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Clifton
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22). 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 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Mar 23 – May 4 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 27 – Jun 1 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | May 4 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 30 – May 4 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 4 – May 18 | May 4 – May 25 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 16 – May 4 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 30 – May 11 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in New Jersey
- Paterson — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Newark — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 1
- Jersey City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 1
- Elizabeth — zone 7b, last frost Apr 6, first frost Nov 4
- Trenton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 21
More: all New Jersey cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Clifton gardening questions
When is the last frost in Clifton, NJ?
Plan around Apr 20. At NOAA's Little Falls, NJ station, 3.8 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 15, and after May 1 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 2. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Clifton, NJ?
Start seeds indoors Feb 23 – Mar 9 and set transplants outside Apr 27 – May 11, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 185 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 Clifton?
About 195 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 174 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 214 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 13 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 5th longest of 6 New Jersey cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Clifton?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 7. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Clifton's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Clifton 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.
Is all of Clifton in zone 7a?
No. Zone 7a covers about 87% of the city's land; the rest is in 7b (13%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.