When to plant in Corning, NY
USDA Zone 5bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Corning, New York — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
Zone 5b means Corning sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.
The average last spring frost in Corning is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
CORNING · 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 Corning’s own odds, recorded at CORNING.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Jun 11 | May 29 | May 13 | Sep 11 | Sep 24 | Oct 4 |
| 32°F | May 31 | May 17 | Apr 30 | Sep 21 | Oct 2 | Oct 16 |
| 28°F | May 20 | May 4 | Apr 21 | Sep 30 | Oct 13 | Oct 30 |
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 Corning, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 16 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.
Corning planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Corning, NY?
Plan for the last spring frost in Corning around May 17 (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 Corning, NY?
In Corning, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 2 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Corning in?
Corning is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.
How long is the growing season in Corning?
There are roughly 138 frost-free days in Corning (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around May 17 to the first fall frost near October 2.
When should I plant tomatoes in Corning?
In Corning, start tomato seeds indoors around March 22–April 5, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 24 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Corning
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Corning’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Elmira · 21 km
- Ithaca · 56 km
- Geneva · 80 km
- Endicott · 82 km
- Canandaigua · 84 km
- Endwell · 85 km
- Cortland · 88 km
- Johnson City · 90 km
Frost dates recorded at CORNING, 2 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 Corning, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00301787. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-york/corning.