USDA hardiness zone lookup
New Canaan, CT — USDA Zone 6b
New Canaan, Connecticut · 171-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in New Canaan
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 30 |
| Average first fall frost | October 18 |
| Growing season length | ~171 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of New Canaan's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from New Canaan'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 April 30, 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 New Canaan
New Canaan, Connecticut sits in USDA Zone 6b, with roughly 171 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 30 and a first fall frost around October 18. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in New Canaan
New Canaan falls in USDA Zone 6b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (all types)
- Peppers, eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans, peas
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, peaches, plums
- Cherries, blueberries
- Asparagus, rhubarb
- Garlic (fall-planted)
- Strawberries
What to plant in New Canaan this week
New Canaan is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
Full planting calendar for New Canaan
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 6 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant garlic in zone 6
- When to plant lettuce in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant summer squash in zone 6
- When to plant peas in zone 6
- When to plant carrots in zone 6
ZIP codes in New Canaan
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in New Canaan:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but New Canaangardens 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 New Canaan'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 Connecticut
- Bridgeport, CT — USDA Zone 7a
- Enfield, CT — USDA Zone 6b
- Fairfield, CT — USDA Zone 7a
- Hartford, CT — USDA Zone 6b
- New Haven, CT — USDA Zone 7a
- Norwich, CT — USDA Zone 6b
- Stamford, CT — USDA Zone 7a
- All of Connecticut by zone