When to plant in Fords, NJ
USDA Zone 7bFords, New Jersey frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
In zone 7b, Fords supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average last spring frost in Fords is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
PLAINFIELD · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Fords’s own odds, recorded at PLAINFIELD.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 13 | Apr 27 | Apr 12 | Oct 3 | Oct 17 | Nov 1 |
| 32°F | Apr 27 | Apr 11 | Mar 31 | Oct 13 | Oct 28 | Nov 10 |
| 28°F | Apr 11 | Mar 31 | Mar 16 | Oct 24 | Nov 7 | Nov 23 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Fords, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 15 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Fords planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Fords, NJ?
On average, the last spring frost in Fords is around April 11 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.
When is the first fall frost in Fords, NJ?
Expect Fords's first fall frost near October 28 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is Fords in?
Fords is in USDA hardiness zone 7b. In zone 7b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.
How long is the growing season in Fords?
Fords has about 200 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 11) and first fall frost (October 28).
When should I plant tomatoes in Fords?
For Fords, sow tomatoes indoors about February 14–February 28 and move the seedlings out around April 18, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Fords
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Fords’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Woodbridge · 3 km
- Iselin · 4 km
- Perth Amboy · 4 km
- Metuchen · 4 km
- Colonia · 6 km
- Avenel · 6 km
- Sayreville · 8 km
- Rahway · 8 km
Frost dates recorded at PLAINFIELD, 11 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Fords, NJ — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00287079. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-jersey/fords.