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When to plant in Franklin Lakes, NJ

USDA Zone 7a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Franklin Lakes, New Jersey — all computed from Franklin Lakes's nearest NOAA weather station.

Zone 7a means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Franklin Lakes, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM · 8.4 km
Last spring frost
April 19
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 23
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
187 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Franklin LakesA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Franklin Lakes: last spring frost around April 19, first fall frost around October 23, about 187 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM · 1991–2020

The 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 Franklin Lakes’s own odds, recorded at WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM.

Frost-probability curves for Franklin LakesProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 19 and the first fall frost around October 23, giving about 187 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 16Apr 30Apr 18Oct 3Oct 13Oct 27
32°FMay 3Apr 19Apr 5Oct 9Oct 23Nov 6
28°FApr 19Apr 4Mar 21Oct 16Nov 4Nov 21

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 17July 31
Fall sowin 12 days
Broccoli
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Cabbage
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Carrot
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Cauliflower
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Napa Cabbage
July 31August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Beet
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Collards
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Endive
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Escarole
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Kale
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Kohlrabi
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Peas
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Radicchio
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Swiss Chard
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Turnip
August 14September 11

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Franklin Lakes, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 16 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM
Primary
8 km · 75 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 19
FALL
Oct 23
LITTLE FALLS
14 km · 46 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 15
FALL
Oct 28
CALDWELL ESSEX CO AP
16 km · 53 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 14
FALL
Oct 28

Franklin Lakes planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Franklin Lakes, NJ?

Plan for the last spring frost in Franklin Lakes around April 19 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Franklin Lakes, NJ?

Expect Franklin Lakes's first fall frost near October 23 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Franklin Lakes in?

Franklin Lakes is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Franklin Lakes?

There are roughly 187 frost-free days in Franklin Lakes (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 19 to the first fall frost near October 23.

When should I plant tomatoes in Franklin Lakes?

In Franklin Lakes, start tomato seeds indoors around February 22–March 8, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 26 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Franklin Lakes

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Franklin Lakes’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM, 8 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Franklin Lakes, NJ — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00289187. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-jersey/franklin-lakes.
When to Plant in Franklin Lakes, NJ — Frost Dates & Zone 7a — BlissGarden