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When to plant in Johnson City, NY

USDA Zone 6a

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

Zone 6a means Johnson City sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · BINGHAMTON · 8.5 km
Last spring frost
May 2
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 11
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
162 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Johnson CityA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Johnson City: last spring frost around May 2, first fall frost around October 11, about 162 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

BINGHAMTON · 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 Johnson City’s own odds, recorded at BINGHAMTON.

Frost-probability curves for Johnson CityProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 2 and the first fall frost around October 11, giving about 162 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 28May 13Apr 28Sep 16Sep 30Oct 13
32°FMay 18May 2Apr 19Sep 28Oct 11Oct 29
28°FMay 7Apr 22Apr 7Oct 7Oct 26Nov 10

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 5July 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 19August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Beet
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Collards
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Endive
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Escarole
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Kale
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Kohlrabi
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Peas
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Radicchio
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Swiss Chard
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Turnip
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Arugula
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Bok Choy
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Chervil
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Cilantro
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Lettuce
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Mizuna
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Mustard Greens
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Radish
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Spinach
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Tatsoi
August 16September 13

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 24 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.

BINGHAMTON
Primary
8 km · 490 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 11
ENDICOTT
11 km · 252 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 12
WHITNEY PT DAM
24 km · 317 m elevation
SPRING
May 4
FALL
Oct 16

Johnson City planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Johnson City, NY?

On average, the last spring frost in Johnson City is around May 2 (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 Johnson City, NY?

Expect Johnson City's first fall frost near October 11 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Johnson City in?

Johnson City is in USDA hardiness zone 6a. In zone 6a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Johnson City?

There are roughly 162 frost-free days in Johnson City (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 2 to the first fall frost near October 11.

When should I plant tomatoes in Johnson City?

In Johnson City, start tomato seeds indoors around March 7–March 21, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 9 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Johnson City

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at BINGHAMTON, 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 Johnson City, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00004725. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-york/johnson-city.
When to Plant in Johnson City, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 6a — BlissGarden