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When to plant in Ridgewood, NJ

USDA Zone 7a

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

In zone 7a, Ridgewood supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · LITTLE FALLS · 14.2 km
Last spring frost
April 15
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 28
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
196 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for RidgewoodA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Ridgewood: last spring frost around April 15, first fall frost around October 28, about 196 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average first fall frost in Ridgewood is now 7 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

LITTLE FALLS · 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 Ridgewood’s own odds, recorded at LITTLE FALLS.

Frost-probability curves for RidgewoodProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 15 and the first fall frost around October 28, giving about 196 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 12Apr 27Apr 13Oct 4Oct 17Nov 1
32°FMay 1Apr 15Apr 1Oct 13Oct 28Nov 9
28°FApr 16Apr 2Mar 18Oct 24Nov 7Nov 22

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
Brussels Sprouts
July 8July 22
Fall sowin 3 days
Rutabaga
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 17 days
Broccoli
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Cabbage
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Carrot
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Cauliflower
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Napa Cabbage
August 5September 2

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 Ridgewood, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 17 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.

LITTLE FALLS
Primary
14 km · 46 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 15
FALL
Oct 28
TETERBORO AP
15 km · 3 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 3
FALL
Nov 4
WANAQUE RAYMOND DAM
17 km · 75 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 19
FALL
Oct 23

Ridgewood planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Ridgewood, NJ?

Ridgewood's average last spring frost falls near April 15 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Ridgewood, NJ?

In Ridgewood, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 28 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Ridgewood in?

Ridgewood 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 Ridgewood?

Ridgewood has about 196 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 15) and first fall frost (October 28).

When should I plant tomatoes in Ridgewood?

For Ridgewood, sow tomatoes indoors about February 18–March 4 and move the seedlings out around April 22, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Ridgewood

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LITTLE FALLS, 14 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 Ridgewood, NJ — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00284887. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-jersey/ridgewood.
When to Plant in Ridgewood, NJ — Frost Dates & Zone 7a — BlissGarden