Zone 7 planting calendar
Typical frost dates for USDA hardiness zone 7, and a month-by-month table of when to start seeds and plant out. Your own dates depend on your location within the zone, so use these as a starting point.
Zone 7 at a glance
From NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for 15 example stations in zone 7 (32°F threshold, 50% probability).
Zone 7 is about winter cold, not spring frost
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the country by the average coldest winter night: each zone covers 10°F, and the "a" and "b" halves cover 5°F each. Zone 7 is the right guide for choosing perennials that survive the winter. It is only a rough guide to planting dates, because places with similar winter lows can have very different springs. That is why this page gives a range of frost dates rather than a single date, and why the frost date for your own location is a better input for the seed starting calculator.
In zone 7, coastal and low-elevation cities such as New York, Philadelphia and Richmond clear frost earlier than inland and higher sites like Reno and Boise. Most gardeners here can grow two cool-season crops a year (spring and fall) and a long warm-season crop in between. Peppers and eggplant still need an indoor start in late winter to make the most of summer.
Typical frost dates in zone 7
The table lists example cities whose airport or city weather station falls in zone 7. "Last frost" is the date after which a 32°F freeze has a 50% chance of still happening; the "1-in-10" column is the date after which there is only a 10% chance. Planting tender crops after the 1-in-10 date is the cautious choice.
| City (station) | Zone | Last frost (median) | Last frost (1-in-10 later) | First fall frost (median) | Freeze-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (LaGuardia), NY | 7b | Mar 26 | Apr 6 | Nov 25 | 244 |
| Nashville, TN | 7b | Mar 31 | Apr 16 | Nov 3 | 217 |
| Louisville, KY | 7a | Mar 31 | Apr 16 | Nov 7 | 222 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 7b | Apr 2 | Apr 13 | Nov 10 | 224 |
| St. Louis, MO | 7a | Apr 2 | Apr 17 | Nov 4 | 215 |
| Roanoke, VA | 7b | Apr 3 | Apr 18 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Richmond, VA | 7b | Apr 3 | Apr 18 | Nov 4 | 215 |
| Boston, MA | 7a | Apr 4 | Apr 17 | Nov 9 | 218 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 7b | Apr 4 | Apr 20 | Nov 2 | 213 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 7b | Apr 8 | Apr 30 | Oct 31 | 204 |
| Baltimore, MD | 7b | Apr 10 | Apr 25 | Oct 31 | 204 |
| Wichita, KS | 7a | Apr 11 | Apr 26 | Oct 29 | 199 |
| Lexington, KY | 7a | Apr 13 | May 1 | Oct 28 | 196 |
| Reno, NV | 7b | Apr 20 | May 5 | Oct 23 | 184 |
| Boise, ID | 7a | Apr 24 | May 9 | Oct 21 | 179 |
Zone shown is the 2023 USDA zone for the ZIP code nearest each weather station, via PRISM data. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for that station. Dates for nearby gardens can differ by a week or more with elevation, slope and distance from water. Find your own station on NOAA's map (see how to find your frost dates).
Month by month: what to start when in zone 7
This table uses the middle example above, Boston, MA (median last frost Apr 4), and the University of New Hampshire Extension seed-starting timings. If your last frost is a week later, move everything a week later.
| Month | Start seeds indoors | Plant transplants out | Direct sowing reminders |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | Onions (Dec 27–Jan 10) | — | — |
| January | Parsley (Jan 3–Jan 10) Spinach (Jan 10–Jan 24) Broccoli (Jan 24–Feb 7) Cabbage (Jan 24–Feb 7) Kale (Jan 24–Feb 7) Lettuce (Jan 31–Feb 7) | — | — |
| February | Peppers (Feb 7–Feb 21) Eggplant (Feb 7–Feb 21) Cauliflower (Feb 7–Feb 21) Tomatoes (Feb 14–Feb 28) Basil (Feb 21–Mar 7) | Spinach (Feb 21–Mar 14) | Spinach, lettuce, kale: direct sow once the soil can be worked (see guides) |
| March | Cucumbers (Mar 14–Mar 21) Squash & zucchini (Mar 21–Mar 28) Melons (Mar 21–Mar 28) | Broccoli (Mar 7–Mar 21) Cabbage (Mar 7) Lettuce (Mar 7–Mar 14) Kale (Mar 7) Onions (Mar 7) Parsley (Mar 14–Mar 21) Cauliflower (Mar 21) | — |
| April | — | Tomatoes (Apr 11–Apr 18) Cucumbers (Apr 11–Apr 18) Peppers (Apr 18) Eggplant (Apr 18–Apr 25) Squash & zucchini (Apr 18) Melons (Apr 18) Basil (Apr 18) | Cucumbers, squash: direct sow once soil reaches 70°F, usually after this date Melons: direct sow or transplant once soil is at least 65°F |
Open this schedule in the calculator
Direct-sowing reminders follow the soil-temperature rules in each crop guide (for example, 70°F soil for cucumbers and squash), so the real date depends on your weather. For fall crops, count back from your first fall frost with the fall planting calculator.
Crop guides
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in zone 7?
It depends on where you are in the zone. Among the 15 example weather stations on this page, the median last spring freeze (32°F, 1991–2020 NOAA normals) ranges from Mar 26 to Apr 24. Look up the station nearest you for a better estimate.
When should I start tomato seeds in zone 7?
For the middle example on this page (last frost Apr 4, Boston, MA), the University of New Hampshire Extension timing gives an indoor sowing window of Feb 14–Feb 28 and setting out Apr 11–Apr 18. Shift those dates by the difference between your own last frost date and Apr 4.
Is my hardiness zone the same as my frost date?
No. USDA hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature. They tell you which perennials survive winter, not when spring frosts end, which is why frost dates vary so much within one zone.
Sources
- USDA ARS — Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University — USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data (2023); ZIP lookups via phzmapi.org (not the official USDA map)
- NOAA NCEI — U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020), incl. interactive map with frost/freeze dates
- University of New Hampshire Extension — Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden
Station data retrieved from NOAA NCEI on 22 Oct 2026. Last reviewed 2026-10-23. Found an error? Tell us.