Planting Dates for the Major Cities of North America

Planting Dates are important. They help us determine when to begin our vegetable garden.

Vegetable garden dates also help us protect cool climate vegetables from the heat. If we plant them late then they can be lost to the hotter months. Cool climate vegetables such as:

• Broccoli


• Cabbage
• Cauliflower


• Kale
• Leeks
• Lettuce


• Peas
• and Spinach

The last spring frost is exactly as the name implies. And because of location, different areas of North America experience the last spring frost at different times.

So I’ll group the cities that have similar frost dates. You can locate your city or a city next to you and use that as an average.

Last Spring Frost before the 1st March:

• Miami
• Tampa
• Jacksonville
• New Orleans
• Houston
• Yuma
• San Diego
• Los Angeles

Last Spring Frost between 1st March and 31st March:

• Wilmington
• Charleston
• Columbia
• Atlanta
• Mobile
• Jackson
• Memphis
• Shreveport
• Dallas
• Oklahoma City
• San Antonio
• El Paso
• Phoenix

Last Spring Frost between 1st April and 30th April:

• New Haven
• New York
• Philadelphia
• Washington DC
• Richmond
• Norfolk
• Raliegh
• Knoxville
• Lexington
• Cincinnati
• Nashville
• Louisville
• Indianapolis
• Springfield
• Chicago
• Milwaukee
• St. Louis
• Kansas City
• Lincoln
• Dodge City
• Amarillo
• Abilene

Planting Times of last spring between 1st May and 31st May:

• Halifax
• St. John
• Portland
• Boston
• Albany
• Harrisburg
• Buffalo
• Toronto
• Kingston
• Ottawa
• London
• Cleveland
• Detroit
• Sault Ste. Marie
• Duluth
• Green Bay
• Minneapolis
• Bismarck
• Huron
• Rapid City
• North Platte
• Williston
• Winnipeg
• Billings
• Fargo
• Thunder Bay
• Salt Lake City
• Grand Junction
• Las Vegas
• Tonopah
• Winnemucca
• Boise
• Pendleton
• Roseburg

Last Spring Frost after 1st June:

• Caribou
• Quebec
• Montreal
• Sudbury
• Regina
• Calgary
• Great Falls
• Lander
• Cheyenne
• Denver
• Milford
• Seattle
• Vancouver

So these are the last spring frost in your planting dates schedule for North America. Remember to consult them each year before you plant.

Also pay attention to climate change. Changes in the climate are altering these dates. I recommend getting an updated report or map of your area every year or every two years. I’m sure you’ll see little differences.