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When to plant in Saratoga Springs, NY

USDA Zone 5b

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Saratoga Springs, New York — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

In zone 5b, Saratoga Springs gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW · 4.6 km
Last spring frost
May 2
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 7
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
158 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Saratoga SpringsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Saratoga Springs: last spring frost around May 2, first fall frost around October 7, about 158 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW · 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 Saratoga Springs’s own odds, recorded at SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW.

Frost-probability curves for Saratoga SpringsProbability 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 7, giving about 158 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 29May 15Apr 30Sep 17Sep 29Oct 10
32°FMay 17May 2Apr 21Sep 27Oct 7Oct 25
28°FMay 4Apr 20Apr 8Oct 5Oct 21Nov 5

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
Broccoli
July 15July 29
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 15July 29
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 15July 29
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 15July 29
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 15August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Beet
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Collards
July 29August 26
Fall sowin 10 days
Endive
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Escarole
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Kale
July 29August 26
Fall sowin 10 days
Kohlrabi
July 29August 26
Fall sowin 10 days
Peas
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Radicchio
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Swiss Chard
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 10 days
Turnip
July 29August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Arugula
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Bok Choy
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Chervil
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Cilantro
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Lettuce
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Mizuna
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Mustard Greens
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Radish
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 12August 26
Fall sowin 24 days
Spinach
August 12September 9
Fall sowin 24 days
Tatsoi
August 12September 9

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 31 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.

SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW
Primary
5 km · 99 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 7
GLENS FALLS FARM
30 km · 154 m elevation
SPRING
May 17
FALL
Sep 29
CONKLINGVILLE DAM
31 km · 246 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 30
FALL
Oct 16

Saratoga Springs planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Saratoga Springs, NY?

Saratoga Springs's average last spring frost falls near May 2 — 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 Saratoga Springs, NY?

The first fall frost in Saratoga Springs typically arrives around October 7 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Saratoga Springs in?

Saratoga Springs 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 Saratoga Springs?

Saratoga Springs has about 158 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 2) and first fall frost (October 7).

When should I plant tomatoes in Saratoga Springs?

For Saratoga Springs, sow tomatoes indoors about March 7–March 21 and move the seedlings out around May 9, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Saratoga Springs

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW, 5 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 Saratoga Springs, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00307484. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-york/saratoga-springs.
When to Plant in Saratoga Springs, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden