Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 06016 (Broad Brook, CT)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Hartford Bradley Intl AP, CT (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1650% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)177 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 52°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Kingston 1 NW (59 mi), Kingston 1 W (60 mi), Millbrook 3 W (62 mi).
4-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 55°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Kingston 1 NW (59 mi), Kingston 1 W (60 mi), Millbrook 3 W (62 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 06016 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 58°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 8 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 21 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 6 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 3 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 16 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 2 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 5 | Oct 6 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 21 | Oct 16 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 7 | Oct 29 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 06016
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 21) and first fall frost (Oct 16). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 10–24 | May 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 10–24 | May 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Mar 31–Apr 21 (transplant) Mar 24–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 11 (transplant) Aug 7–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 10–31 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) Mar 24–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) Jul 10–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Mar 24–Apr 21 (transplant) Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) Jul 10–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 10–24 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 10–24 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Jun 26–Jul 17 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) Mar 24–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 24–Apr 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 10–24 | Apr 7–28 (transplant) Apr 7–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 31–Apr 28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 17–Apr 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 24–Apr 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 31–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 24–Mar 24 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 10–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 10–24 (transplant) | Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Jun 26–Jul 10 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 12–Jun 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 24–31 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 24–31 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 24–31 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 24–31 | May 5–19 (transplant) May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 24–31 | May 5–19 (transplant) May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 10–24 | May 5–19 (transplant) May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 27–Feb 10 | Apr 28–May 5 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 10–24 | Apr 28–May 12 (transplant) Apr 28–May 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 7–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) Mar 31–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 21–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Hartford Bradley Intl AP, CT (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00014740), elevation 190 ft, 7.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford Brainard Fld, CT | 13 mi | Apr 17 | Oct 26 |
| Staffordville, CT | 16 mi | May 7 | Oct 12 |
| Storrs, CT | 18 mi | Apr 19 | Oct 22 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 21 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 06016
When is the last frost in 06016?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 06016 is April 21. For a more cautious planting date, use May 6, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 06016?
The average first fall freeze is October 16. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 3.
What hardiness zone is 06016?
ZIP 06016 is in USDA zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 06016 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
06088 06074 06029 Crystal Lake 06080 06096 Windsor Locks 06082 Hazardville 06066 Rockville 06072
Other ZIP codes in Hartford County
06001 06002 06010 06013 06019 06020 06022 06023 06026 06027 06032 06033 06035 06037 06040 06042 06051 06052 06053 06059 06060 06062 06065 06067 All Hartford County frost dates · Connecticut frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.