Rochester, New York planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Rochester

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rochester Gtr International Airport, 4 miles SW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Rochester

1. January

   Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, onions, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips

5. May

   Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, collard greens, lettuce, swiss chard

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Rochester

All 14 of Rochester's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Rochester Gtr International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Rochester

Nearby cities

• Buffalo, NY zone 6b, last frost Apr 24
• Syracuse, NY zone 6a, last frost Apr 29
• Utica, NY zone 5b, last frost May 1
• Erie, PA zone 6b, last frost Apr 26
• Scranton, PA zone 6b, last frost Apr 23
• Schenectady, NY zone 6a, last frost Apr 27