Rochester, New York: planting zone & frost dates
Rochester is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 30 and the first fall frost around Oct 18.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 8 | Oct 8 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 18 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 24 | Oct 25 |
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 ROCHESTER GTR INTL AP, NY (USW00014768), 4.8 mi (7.7 km) from the city center and 39 ft higher than the city center (+12 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Rochester
All 17 ZIP codes covering Rochester are in zone 6b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Rochester
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 18). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 9 – Sep 6 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 7 – Jun 11 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 7 – Jun 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 7 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Cucumber | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 14 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Onion | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | May 14 – Jun 4 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Kale | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 9 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Eggplant | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 26 – May 14 | Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
Nearby cities in New York
- Buffalo — zone 6b, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 19
- Syracuse — zone 6a, last frost May 5, first frost Oct 11
- Albany — zone 6a, last frost May 2, first frost Oct 9
- Yonkers — zone 7b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 19
- New Rochelle — zone 7b, last frost Apr 5, first frost Nov 9
- New York — zone 7b, last frost Apr 4, first frost Nov 13
More: all New York cities · other zone 6b cities: Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY
Rochester gardening questions
When is the last frost in Rochester, NY?
Plan around Apr 30. At NOAA's Rochester Gtr Int'l Airport, NY station, 4.8 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 24, and after May 8 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 14. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 26 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Rochester, NY?
Start seeds indoors Mar 5 – Mar 19 and set transplants outside May 7 – May 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 171 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 Rochester?
About 181 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 162 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 201 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 8 and a 30% chance by Oct 18. That ranks 5th longest of 7 New York cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Rochester?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 18): transplant broccoli Jul 26 – Aug 9; sow kale Aug 9 – Sep 6; sow lettuce Aug 9 – Sep 6; sow radishes Sep 6 – Oct 4. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 6. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Rochester's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Rochester was zone 6a on the 2012 map and is zone 6b 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.
How does Rochester compare with Buffalo, NY?
Both are in zone 6b. The typical last spring frost in Rochester (Apr 30) comes about the same time as in Buffalo, NY (Apr 30), 66 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 18 versus Oct 19. The two cities use different NOAA stations.