USDA hardiness zone lookup
Montpelier, VT — USDA Zone 5a
Montpelier, Vermont · 116-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Montpelier
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 5a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | May 25 |
| Average first fall frost | September 18 |
| Growing season length | ~116 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -20 to -10°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -29 to -23°C |
All of Montpelier's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 5a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Montpelier's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by May 25, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Montpelier
Montpelier, Vermont sits in USDA Zone 5a, with roughly 116 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around May 25 and a first fall frost around September 18. That is a short season — start warm-season crops indoors 6-8 weeks early and lean on quick-maturing, cold-tolerant cultivars to beat the first fall frost. Montpelier lies near 44.3°N; higher-latitude gardens get longer midsummer days but a tighter shoulder season at this zone.
What grows in Montpelier
Montpelier falls in USDA Zone 5a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 5 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 5a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (full range of varieties)
- Peppers
- Eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans (bush + pole)
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, plums
- Cherries (sweet + sour)
- Blueberries, raspberries
- Garlic
What to plant in Montpelier this week
Montpelier's last frost is around May 25. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
Full planting calendar for Montpelier
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 5 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
- When to plant garlic in zone 5
- When to plant lettuce in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
- When to plant summer squash in zone 5
- When to plant peas in zone 5
- When to plant carrots in zone 5
ZIP codes in Montpelier
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Montpelier:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Montpeliergardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Montpelier's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Vermont
- Brattleboro, VT — USDA Zone 5b
- Burlington, VT — USDA Zone 5a
- Rutland, VT — USDA Zone 5a
- St. Johnsbury, VT — USDA Zone 4b
- All of Vermont by zone