When to plant in St. James, NY
USDA Zone 7bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in St. James, New York — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
In zone 7b, St. James supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average last spring frost in St. James is now 6 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
SETAUKET STRONG · 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 St. James’s own odds, recorded at SETAUKET STRONG.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 15 | Apr 30 | Apr 15 | Oct 14 | Oct 29 | Nov 10 |
| 32°F | May 4 | Apr 15 | Apr 1 | Oct 27 | Nov 10 | Nov 24 |
| 28°F | Apr 19 | Mar 31 | Mar 14 | Nov 9 | Nov 21 | Dec 5 |
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 St. James, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 13 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.
St. James planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in St. James, NY?
On average, the last spring frost in St. James is around April 15 (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 St. James, NY?
In St. James, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 10 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is St. James in?
St. James is in USDA hardiness zone 7b. In zone 7b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.
How long is the growing season in St. James?
St. James has about 209 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 15) and first fall frost (November 10).
When should I plant tomatoes in St. James?
For St. James, sow tomatoes indoors about February 18–March 4 and move the seedlings out around April 22, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in St. James
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to St. James’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Nesconset · 3 km
- Lake Grove · 4 km
- Stony Brook · 4 km
- Smithtown · 6 km
- Centereach · 6 km
- Lake Ronkonkoma · 6 km
- East Setauket · 7 km
- Hauppauge · 8 km
Frost dates recorded at SETAUKET STRONG, 10 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 St. James, NY — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00307633. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-york/st-james.