Calendars by city / VT
Burlington, Vermont vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Burlington, Vermont built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at BURLINGTON WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AIRPORT, VT US (station USW00014742), not from a hardiness zone.
Burlington, Vermont planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 16 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Transplant: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Aug 18 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Transplant: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 29 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 6 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 11 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Sep 2 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Aug 23 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Aug 23 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 4 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 4 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 6 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Aug 18 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 12 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Sep 22 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Sep 12 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 16 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Sep 2 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: May 4 – May 11 | Aug 9 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 27 – May 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 15 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: May 4 – May 11 | Jul 10 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 4 – May 11 | Aug 14 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Mar 16 – Apr 20 | Transplant: May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 9 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | Transplant: May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 30 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | Transplant: May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 4 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 4 – May 11 | Aug 19 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 27 – May 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 18 – Jun 1 | Jun 30 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 27 – May 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 15 | 85 |
What the Burlington, Vermont frost-free season means for your choices
At 157 frost-free days, Burlington, Vermont gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Apr 6 – Apr 20 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 18 – Jun 1; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 30 – Apr 27.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Burlington, VT planting questions
When is the last frost in Burlington, Vermont?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at BURLINGTON WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AIRPORT, VT US is May 4, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 23.
When can I plant tomatoes in Burlington, Vermont?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: May 18 – Jun 1 in Burlington, Vermont. Start the seeds indoors Mar 30 – Apr 27, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Burlington, Vermont?
Burlington, Vermont averages 157 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on May 4 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 8 at BURLINGTON WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AIRPORT, VT US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Burlington, Vermont?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Feb 16 – Mar 16. Hardy crops are transplanted out Apr 6 – Apr 20 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Burlington, Vermont?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 8, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | BURLINGTON WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AIRPORT, VT US (USW00014742) |
|---|---|
| Location | 44.4683, -73.1499 · elevation 100.6 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | May 4 / Apr 23 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 8 / Oct 19 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Albany, New York — last spring frost Apr 28
- Concord, New Hampshire — last spring frost May 13
- Portland, Maine — last spring frost May 1
- Hartford, Connecticut — last spring frost Apr 24
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.