Elizabeth, New Jersey: planting zone & frost dates
Elizabeth is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 6 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 15 | Oct 28 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 6 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
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 NEWARK INTL AP, NJ (USW00014734), 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from the city center and 3 ft lower than the city center (-1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Elizabeth
All 4 ZIP codes covering Elizabeth are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Elizabeth
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 6, first frost Nov 4). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 13 – May 18 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 13 – May 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 20 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 2 – Apr 20 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in New Jersey
- Newark — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 1
- Jersey City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 1
- Clifton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Paterson — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Trenton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 21
More: all New Jersey cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Elizabeth gardening questions
When is the last frost in Elizabeth, NJ?
Plan around Apr 6. At NOAA's Newark Int'l Airport, NJ station, 1.7 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 2, and after Apr 15 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 23. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 26 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Elizabeth, NJ?
Start seeds indoors Feb 9 – Feb 23 and set transplants outside Apr 13 – Apr 27, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 212 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 Elizabeth?
About 222 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 202 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 243 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 28 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That is the longest of the 6 New Jersey cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Elizabeth?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Elizabeth's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Elizabeth was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b 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.
How does Elizabeth compare with Newark, NJ?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Elizabeth (Apr 6) comes about the same time as in Newark, NJ (Apr 8), 4 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Nov 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.