When to plant in Delaware
Most of Delaware sees its last spring frost between Apr 4 and Apr 7, and its first fall frost between Nov 1 and Nov 6. The middle of the state is around April 7 and November 2: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 3 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 30 – Sep 22 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 17 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 5 – Sep 27 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 15 – Aug 3 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 10 – Aug 19 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 25 – Aug 29 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 15 – Jul 27 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 25 – May 30 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 5 – Aug 2 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 24 – Jun 5 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 5 – May 17 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Jan 27 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 4 – Jul 27 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Broccoli | Feb 3 | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 16 – Jun 20 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Cabbage | Jan 27 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 19 – Jun 23 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 26 – Jul 7 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Beet | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 11 – Jun 22 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Radish | — | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Jun 11 – Jul 16 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 26 – Nov 16 (fall) | Jun 2 – Jun 23 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Jun 15 – Jul 20 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 17 | Apr 28 – May 12 | Aug 6 – Sep 3 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jul 22 – Aug 26 | — |
| Basil | Mar 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | May 21 – Aug 27 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 5 – Jun 2 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 10 – Aug 14 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Delaware. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Delaware
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 7b | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Newark | 7b | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Dover | 7b | Apr 4 | Nov 4 |
| New Castle | 7b | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Bear | 7b | Apr 7 | Nov 2 |
| Bethany Beach | 8a | Apr 7 | Nov 2 |
| Bethel | 7b | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
| Bridgeville | 7b | Apr 11 | Oct 30 |
| Camden Wyoming | 7b | Apr 4 | Nov 4 |
| Cheswold | 7b | Apr 4 | Nov 4 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.