Burlington, Vermont: planting zone & frost dates
Burlington is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -15 to -10°F (-26.1 to -23.3°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 3 and the first fall frost around Oct 9.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 11 | Oct 2 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 3 | Oct 9 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 29 | Oct 15 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station BURLINGTON INTL AP, VT (USW00014742), 4.7 mi (7.5 km) from the city center and 226 ft higher than the city center (+69 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Burlington
Burlington spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 3 ZIP codes): 5b (98%), 5a (2%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Burlington
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 3, first frost Oct 9). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | May 10 – May 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 – May 31 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – May 10 | Apr 5 – May 17 | Jul 31 – Aug 28 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 10 – Jun 14 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 10 – Jun 7 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 10 – May 24 | May 10 – May 31 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Cucumber | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 17 – May 24 | May 10 – May 31 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 12 – May 17 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Onion | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 17 – May 31 | May 17 – Jun 7 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| Kale | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jul 31 – Aug 28 |
| Broccoli | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 10 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Eggplant | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 – May 31 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 29 – May 17 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 12 – May 24 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
Nearby cities in Vermont
- South Burlington — zone 5a, last frost May 3, first frost Oct 9
More: all Vermont cities · other zone 5b cities: Madison, WI, Des Moines, IA, Aurora, IL, Fort Collins, CO, Naperville, IL, Rockford, IL, Elgin, IL, Greeley, CO
Burlington gardening questions
When is the last frost in Burlington, VT?
Plan around May 3. At NOAA's Burlington Int'l Airport, VT station, 4.7 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 29, and after May 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 18. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 24 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Burlington, VT?
Start seeds indoors Mar 8 – Mar 22 and set transplants outside May 10 – May 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 159 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Burlington?
About 169 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 149 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 187 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 2 and a 30% chance by Oct 9.
When should I plant a fall garden in Burlington?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 9): transplant broccoli Jul 17 – Jul 31; sow kale Jul 31 – Aug 28; sow lettuce Jul 31 – Aug 28; sow radishes Aug 28 – Sep 25. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 28. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Burlington's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Burlington was zone 5a on the 2012 map and is zone 5b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Burlington in zone 5b?
No. Zone 5b covers about 98% of the city's land; the rest is in 5a (2%), measured across the city's 3 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.