Regional guide

Delaware Frost-Probability Vegetable Garden

University of Delaware Cooperative Extension guide for frost-probability planning, succession rows, fall crops, and tender-crop timing in Delaware.

Regional timing

Current regional planting plan

University of Delaware Cooperative Extension guide for frost-probability planning, succession rows, fall crops, and tender-crop timing in Delaware.

Source-backed timing University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Planning a Vegetable Garden

Delaware Frost 183 frost-free days

May 1 last frost spring release Oct 31 first frost fall limit

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension source says recommended planting dates are based on projected last frost, with frost defined as a day reaching 35 F or lower.
Its rule of thumb is to plant tender plants such as tomatoes and peppers two weeks after the 10 percent probability of another frost date.
The source lists a 10 percent probability date of April 26 for Wilmington, says the UD farm at Newark lists April 20, and notes other resources list dates as late as May 7.

Catalog priority: 25 priority crops
Climate checks: 5 climate signals
Timing basis: Using Central Maryland dates

Source-backed timing May 1 last frost and October 31 first frost from the Central Maryland calendar assumptions.

Western, northern, Southern Maryland, and Eastern Shore sites can shift from this Central Maryland baseline.

Crop priority Provider Bush Bean leads the catalog examples

Provider Bush Bean, Detroit Dark Red Beet, Waltham 29 Broccoli, Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts

Next local check Plan late vegetables to follow early ones and include succession crops, a fall garden, small fruits, and overwintered crops where space allows.

The source says spinach planted in fall can live over winter and be picked in early spring.

Calendar Convert regional timing into dated sowing, transplant, and harvest jobs. Frost dates Keep hardiness zone context separate from local first and last frost dates. All regions Compare this guide with the broader regional atlas. New Jersey Frost Rutgers NJAES seed-starting guide for New Jersey gardeners using local last-frost ranges, cool-season transplants, and warm-season soil readiness.

Climate signals

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension source says recommended planting dates are based on projected last frost, with frost defined as a day reaching 35 F or lower.
Its rule of thumb is to plant tender plants such as tomatoes and peppers two weeks after the 10 percent probability of another frost date.
The source lists a 10 percent probability date of April 26 for Wilmington, says the UD farm at Newark lists April 20, and notes other resources list dates as late as May 7.
The recommendation is to use April 26, which moves the earliest tender planting date to May 10.
The guide frames Delaware garden planning around a continuous supply from early spring to late fall, not a single spring planting.

Planning notes

Plan late vegetables to follow early ones and include succession crops, a fall garden, small fruits, and overwintered crops where space allows.
The source says spinach planted in fall can live over winter and be picked in early spring.
Rotate crops so similar vegetables are not planted in the same location consecutively when space allows.
For spring peas, the suggested plan lists March 15 to April 1 and April 10 to April 30 planting windows.
For spring lettuce, it lists April 1 to April 15 and April 15 to April 30 planting windows.
For carrots, it lists April 1 to April 30, May 1 to May 15, and a late July 10 to August 15 window.
For bush beans, it lists May 5 to May 15, May 20 to May 30, and a late July 25 to August 15 window.
For tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, the suggested plan uses May 10 to May 30 planting windows.
For fall greens, the suggested plan includes spinach from August 15 to September 10 and lettuce from July 15 to September 1.
For sweet corn, it lists May 1 to May 15 and May 20 to June 5 plantings before later succession rows.
The source labels harvest ranges as typical harvest periods that may vary with specific varieties and local weather.
The source's suggested varieties include Provider beans, Detroit Dark Red beets, Marketmore 76 cucumbers, California Wonder peppers, Sugar Snap peas, Bloomsdale spinach, and Sugar Baby watermelon.
Use these priority catalog links as Delaware crop-row and variety-list examples where applicable, not as a complete local variety list.

Catalog crop examples

These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.

Provider Bush Bean Vegetable · Warm · 50 days
Detroit Dark Red Beet Vegetable · Cool · 58 days
Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Vegetable · Cool · 100 days
Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
Danvers 126 Carrot Vegetable · Shoulder · 70 days
Bright Lights Swiss Chard Vegetable · Shoulder · 55 days
Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
Marketmore 76 Cucumber Vegetable · Warm · 58 days
Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
Lacinato Kale Vegetable · Cool · 60 days
Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
Southern Giant Curled Mustard Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
Evergreen Bunching Onion Vegetable · Shoulder · 65 days
Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable · Cool · 62 days
California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
Small Sugar Pumpkin Vegetable · Warm · 100 days
French Breakfast Radish Vegetable · Cool · 28 days
Bloomsdale Spinach Vegetable · Cool · 42 days
Waltham Butternut Squash Vegetable · Warm · 95 days
Roma Tomato Vegetable · Warm · 76 days
Purple Top White Globe Turnip Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
Sugar Baby Watermelon Vegetable · Warm · 80 days

Related regional guides

New Jersey Frost-Range Seed-Starting Garden Rutgers NJAES seed-starting guide for New Jersey gardeners using local last-frost ranges, cool-season transplants, and warm-season soil readiness.
Central Maryland Planting Calendar Vegetable Garden A UMD Extension Central Maryland planting-calendar guide for frost assumptions, warm-soil crops, successions, transplants, and crop windows.
Virginia Hardiness Zone Vegetable Planting Guide A Virginia Cooperative Extension guide for USDA hardiness-zone vegetable planting tables, frost ranges, microclimates, row covers, and crop windows.

Source: University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Planning a Vegetable Garden