cold frames with flats of small plants, at the CCE-Tompkins Education Center
Image by Sandy Repp

Cold frames are a great way to extend your growing season.

Beets can be planted in late July for harvest in Ithaca, NY

rainbow chard
Image by Sandy Repp

Rainbow chard is another crop that can be sown in late July.

Last Planting Dates


Average First Fall Frost: October 1

Questions often arise on how late a vegetable can be planted in the garden in New York State and still reach maturity or usable size before frost or cold weather stops growth.  The last dates listed below for each crop are based on observations at Ithaca, NY.  Most years the crop will reach the harvestable stage if planted by the date indicated, but yields of crops requiring multiple harvesting (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc.) likely will be rather light unless the fall weather is warmer than normal, and first frosts are unusually late.  In parts of New York where the fall weather averages milder than in Ithaca, planting a week to ten days later might be possible; for cooler areas move the dates 7-10 days earlier.

Last Seeding & Transplanting Dates

*  Indicates variety is transplanted
(x) Indicates variety may be transplanted or
  seeded. If transplanted probably should be later than date given.
(t) Indicates variety may be transplants, sets or seed.

June 10

June 30

  July 15

  July 31

  August 10

  Sept. 10

 Beans, lima
 Edible cowpeas
 Herbs, most
 Muskmelons*
 Okra*
 Popcorn
 Edible Soybeans
 Tomatoes (late)*
 Watermelon*

 Beans, pole snap
 Brussels sprouts
 Cabbage (late)
 Celeriac
 Celery*
 Eggplant*
 Leeks
 Peppers
 Sweet corn (med.)
 Tomatoes (early)

 Beans, snap
 Cabbage(medium)*
 Carrots
 Cauliflower (late)*
 Chinese cabbage
 Cucumbers
 Lettuce, head
 Lettuce, romaine
 Onions, green
 Parsley
 Parsnip
 Rutabagas
 Squash, summer
 Sweet corn (early)

 Beets
 Broccoli (late)*
 Cabbage(early)*  
 Collards
 Endive
 Kale
 Kohlrabi
 Lettuce, Bibb
 Mustard
 Peas
 Radish, Chinese
 Swiss chard

 Broccoli (early)*
 Cauliflower(early)*
 Lettuce, leaf
 Spinach
 Turnip

 Radish

Last updated May 9, 2015