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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in Maryland

The 32°F frost dates at the 43 weather stations in Maryland with NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals, and the planting windows they give. These are long-term statistics, not a forecast. For the dates at the station nearest you, enter your ZIP code.

The planner uses the weather station nearest your ZIP code.

Frost dates across Maryland

Each risk level uses a date with a set chance of frost. In spring, it's the chance of a 32°F frost on or after the last-frost date. In fall, it's the chance of the first 32°F frost on or before the first-frost date. At the Typical level (30%), the last frost ranges from March 29 to May 18 across the state, and the first frost from October 4 to November 20.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 43 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)April 4MD SCI CTR BALTIMORE, MD USMay 30SINES DEEP CREEK, MD USSeptember 26OAKLAND 1 SE, MD USNovember 10SOLOMONS, MD US
Typical (30%)March 292 stationsMay 18SINES DEEP CREEK, MD USOctober 4OAKLAND 1 SE, MD USNovember 20SOLOMONS, MD US
Aggressive (50%)March 22SOLOMONS, MD USMay 9SINES DEEP CREEK, MD USOctober 9OAKLAND 1 SE, MD USNovember 26SOLOMONS, MD US

Growing season length

The growing season is the stretch between the last spring frost and the first fall frost at 32°F. NOAA gives it as a length with a chance of being at least that long. Each risk level uses the length with that chance of a shorter season, so Conservative shows the shortest lengths.

Growing season at 32°F: shortest and longest among 43 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)130 daysSINES DEEP CREEK, MD US227 daysSOLOMONS, MD US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)145 daysSINES DEEP CREEK, MD US240 daysSOLOMONS, MD US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)155 daysSINES DEEP CREEK, MD US248 daysSOLOMONS, MD US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
140–159 days2
160–179 days7
180–199 days12
200–219 days14
220–239 days7
240–259 days1

Planting windows across Maryland

For each crop, the earliest start and the latest end of its Typical windows among the stations. A window at any one station is shorter and falls inside this span. Transplant dates are for seedlings.

Typical planting windows (30% frost dates): earliest start and latest end among stations
Crop and taskEarliest startLatest endStations
Basil: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Bean: Sow outdoorsMarch 29May 1843 of 43
Beet: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 1843 of 43
Beet: Sow for fallJuly 12October 143 of 43
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJuly 2October 143 of 43
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallJune 12October 1143 of 43
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 27October 143 of 43
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Carrot: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 1843 of 43
Carrot: Sow for fallJuly 2September 2143 of 43
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsApril 5May 2543 of 43
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsMarch 29May 1843 of 43
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Garlic: Plant for fallOctober 4December 443 of 43
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Lettuce: Sow for fallJuly 2October 1143 of 43
Onion: Transplant or plant setsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Peas: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Peas: Sow for fallJuly 10October 143 of 43
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Potato: Plant seed potatoesMarch 1May 1843 of 43
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Radish: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Radish: Sow for fallAugust 16October 3143 of 43
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Spinach: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Spinach: Sow for fallJuly 22October 1443 of 43
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsApril 5May 2543 of 43
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsMarch 29May 1843 of 43
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsMarch 29May 1843 of 43
Sweet potato: Plant slipsApril 5June 143 of 43
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Turnip: Sow outdoorsMarch 1May 443 of 43
Turnip: Sow for fallJuly 22October 1143 of 43
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsApril 12June 143 of 43

Weather stations in Maryland

Every station in Maryland with NOAA frost-date normals, with its Typical 32°F frost dates and growing season.

Data sources

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, frost dates, 1991–2020 normals, version 1.0.1
Files: us-climate-normals_1991-2020_v1.0.1_annualseasonal_multivariate_by-station_c20230404.tar.gz, inventory_30yr.txt from NOAA NCEI. Retrieved October 10, 2026.