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When to plant strawberries in zone 3a

In zone 3a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 26, plant out April 14 to 28.

The zone 3a schedule for strawberries

Plant out
April 14 to 28
First harvest, roughly
July 13 to August 16

From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 8 ZIP codes in zone 3a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for strawberries.

Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.

Frost risk in zone 3a

Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 3a, the typical last frost ranges from about May 10 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to June 2 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 12 to October 1. For a typical place in the zone:

  • May 10Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
  • May 26Typical: frost after this date in half of years
  • June 11Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

Your dates for strawberries

Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant strawberries where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.

Enter your ZIP code

How to grow strawberriesAll zonesStrawberries in zone 2aStrawberries in zone 3bAbout zone 3a

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