Newark, New Jersey: planting zone & frost dates
Newark is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 8 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 16 | Oct 25 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 4 | 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 HARRISON, NJ (USC00283704), 2.0 mi (3.2 km) from the city center and 13 ft higher than the city center (+4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 15 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Newark
Newark spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 9 ZIP codes): 7b (94%), 7a (6%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Newark
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 8, 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 11 – Feb 25 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 15 – May 20 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 15 – May 13 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Onion | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 25 – Mar 25 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Eggplant | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | — | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 22 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
Nearby cities in New Jersey
- Elizabeth — zone 7b, last frost Apr 6, first frost Nov 4
- Jersey City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 1
- Clifton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Paterson — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Trenton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 21
More: all New Jersey cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Newark gardening questions
When is the last frost in Newark, NJ?
Plan around Apr 8. At NOAA's Harrison, NJ station, 2.0 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 4, and after Apr 16 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 24 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Newark, NJ?
Start seeds indoors Feb 11 – Feb 25 and set transplants outside Apr 15 – Apr 29, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 207 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 Newark?
About 216 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 197 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 237 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 25 and a 30% chance by Nov 1. That ranks 2nd longest of 6 New Jersey cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Newark?
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 Newark's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Newark was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Newark in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 94% of the city's land; the rest is in 7a (6%), measured across the city's 9 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.