Burlington, VT Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Burlington, Vermont.
Gardening in Burlington
Vermont's largest city sits on the shore of Lake Champlain, where the agrarian values of the Green Mountain State meet the energy of a small college city. Burlington gardeners take local food personally — this is the state that gave America Ben & Jerry's and a senator who makes his own maple syrup.
Lake Champlain extends Burlington's growing season compared to the Vermont interior — the lake effect keeps fall warmer and spring arrives slightly earlier. Your 149-day season is short but productive. The Champlain Valley's clay soils are heavy but mineral-rich, and the lake's influence creates a microclimate that grows grapes, which the rest of Vermont can't manage.
The Burlington Farmers Market is a community institution. The Intervale Center — 350 acres of urban farmland on the Winooski River floodplain — is one of the most innovative urban agriculture projects in the country. Vermont's commitment to local food isn't marketing — it's civic identity.
What This Means for Burlington Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Burlington is around May 5, and the average first fall frost arrives around October 1. That gives you approximately 149 frost-free days to work with.
At 149 days, you're working with a compressed but productive window. Choose varieties by their days-to-maturity number — anything under 75 days is safe, 75-90 requires indoor starting, and 90+ is a calculated risk. The tradeoff: your cool, moderate summers are excellent for crops that heat-zone gardeners struggle with. Your lettuce doesn't bolt in June. Your peas produce for weeks longer. Cool-season crops are your superpower.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Burlington area. Your actual frost dates could shift 2-3 weeks in either direction in any given year. Learn more about our data sources.
What to Grow in Burlington
With 149 frost-free days, Burlington gardeners need to plan strategically — start warm-season crops indoors and choose short-season varieties. Cool-season crops are your strength, thriving in the moderate temperatures that define your growing window. Recommended starting points: kale, lettuce, peas, carrots, potatoes, radishes, garlic, and short-season tomatoes.
See the full Vermont planting guide for all 40 plants: Vermont Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Burlington.
More About Zone 5A
Burlington is in USDA Hardiness Zone 5A, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between -20°F to -15°F. View the full Zone 5A planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Vermont: Vermont Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Vermont
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Burlington area. They represent historical averages, not predictions. In any given year, the actual last frost could be 2-3 weeks earlier or later. Microclimates within Burlington (urban heat islands, hilltops, low-lying valleys) can also shift your local frost dates by a week or more.
Start everything possible indoors — your 149-day season doesn't leave room for a slow start. Direct sow only the fastest, hardiest crops (radishes, lettuce, peas) 3-4 weeks before last frost (May 5). Choose short-season varieties for warm crops. Enter your zip code for exact dates.