Paterson, NJ · zone 7a · ~199 frost-free days
When to plant in Paterson: frost dates and zone 7a.
In Paterson, the typical last spring frost lands around Apr 13 and the first fall frost around Oct 29, giving you about 199 frost-free days. Cool-season crops go out before the last frost; warm-season crops wait until after it.
The 2026 windows
Sow dates for Paterson, keyed to your frost.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring sow / set out | Fall sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato, slicing | Mar 9 to May 9 | Apr 20 to Jun 20 | — |
| Lettuce, leaf | — | Mar 6 to Apr 20 | Aug 15 to Oct 14 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 6 to Apr 8 | Aug 3 to Aug 29 |
| Bush Bean | — | Apr 13 to Jun 3 | Jul 15 to Aug 17 |
| Cucumber, slicing | — | Apr 20 to Jul 20 | — |
| Pepper, bell | Mar 18 to May 9 | Apr 29 to Jun 20 | — |
| Kale | Jan 23 to Feb 20 | Mar 6 to Apr 3 | Jul 29 to Sep 13 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 20 to Apr 3 | Aug 15 to Oct 3 |
Paterson sits in Zone 7a, but two gardens in the same city can be a week or two apart. The planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not the zone, so the dates land right for your block, not the metro average.
Build your Paterson garden plan.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for ZIP 07501 in about 60 seconds.
Paterson planting questions
What planting zone is Paterson, NJ?+
Paterson is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. Growing zone, gardening zone, and planting zone all mean the same thing: the USDA number, 7a here. It tells you what survives winter, not when to plant. Frost dates set your planting time, and the free planner uses your exact ZIP code's frost dates, which can differ by weeks across one metro.
When is the last frost date in Paterson?+
The typical last spring frost in Paterson, NJ is around Apr 13. That is an average from local history, not a guarantee, so tender crops like tomatoes and peppers are safer with a week of buffer after it.
When is the first frost date in Paterson?+
The typical first fall frost in Paterson, NJ arrives around Oct 29, closing a growing season of roughly 199 frost-free days. Count backward from it to find the last date a fall crop can still finish.
What can I plant now in Paterson?+
It depends on the date. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, and spinach go out weeks before the last frost; warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers wait until after Apr 13. The table above shows each crop's window; the free planner turns your ZIP into an exact, dated calendar.