When to plant watermelon in New York

Plant out in New York

Apr 15–Apr 29

Across New York the window opens between April 15 and May 28. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, New York: Mar 4–Mar 11
Plant out, New York: Apr 15–Apr 29
Sow outdoors, New York: Apr 15–Apr 29
Last sowing for a harvest: Jul 28
Last frost, New York: Apr 1

Start seeds indoors 3–4 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors 2–4 weeks after the last frost. In short-season areas, start seedlings indoors and pick an early variety.

Watermelon planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

New YorkApr 15–Apr 29

BuffaloMay 8–May 22

YonkersMay 4–May 18

RochesterMay 8–May 22

SyracuseMay 13–May 27

AlbanyMay 11–May 25

New RochelleMay 4–May 18

CheektowagaMay 8–May 22

Mount VernonApr 15–Apr 29

SchenectadyMay 11–May 25

UticaMay 15–May 29

White PlainsApr 26–May 10

HempsteadApr 16–Apr 30

Tonawanda TownMay 20–Jun 3

LevittownApr 17–May 1

TroyMay 3–May 17

IrondequoitMay 8–May 22

Niagara FallsMay 10–May 24

Kiryas JoelApr 24–May 8

BinghamtonMay 16–May 30

West SenecaMay 8–May 22

FreeportApr 21–May 5

HicksvilleApr 16–Apr 30

West BabylonApr 20–May 4

CoramApr 18–May 2

Valley StreamApr 16–Apr 30

Central IslipApr 24–May 8

BrightonMay 8–May 22

ElmontApr 16–Apr 30

CommackApr 23–May 7

All 89 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Sow outdoors	Last frost
New York	Mar 4 to Mar 11	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Buffalo	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Yonkers	Mar 23 to Mar 30	May 4 to May 18	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Rochester	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Syracuse	Apr 1 to Apr 8	May 13 to May 27	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Albany	Mar 30 to Apr 6	May 11 to May 25	May 11 to May 25	Apr 27
New Rochelle	Mar 23 to Mar 30	May 4 to May 18	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Cheektowaga	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Mount Vernon	Mar 4 to Mar 11	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Schenectady	Mar 30 to Apr 6	May 11 to May 25	May 11 to May 25	Apr 27
Utica	Apr 3 to Apr 10	May 15 to May 29	May 15 to May 29	May 1
White Plains	Mar 15 to Mar 22	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 12
Hempstead	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Tonawanda Town	Apr 8 to Apr 15	May 20 to Jun 3	May 20 to Jun 3	May 6
Levittown	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Troy	Mar 22 to Mar 29	May 3 to May 17	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Irondequoit	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Niagara Falls	Mar 29 to Apr 5	May 10 to May 24	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Kiryas Joel	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Binghamton	Apr 4 to Apr 11	May 16 to May 30	May 16 to May 30	May 2
West Seneca	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Freeport	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
Hicksville	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
West Babylon	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Coram	Mar 7 to Mar 14	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Valley Stream	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Central Islip	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Brighton	Mar 27 to Apr 3	May 8 to May 22	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Elmont	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Commack	Mar 12 to Mar 19	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
East Meadow	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Long Beach	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
Spring Valley	Mar 23 to Mar 30	May 4 to May 18	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
New City	Mar 28 to Apr 4	May 9 to May 23	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Uniondale	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Ithaca	Apr 13 to Apr 20	May 25 to Jun 8	May 25 to Jun 8	May 11
Baldwin	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
Huntington Station	Mar 12 to Mar 19	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
Poughkeepsie	Mar 24 to Mar 31	May 5 to May 19	May 5 to May 19	Apr 21
Port Chester	Mar 15 to Mar 22	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 12
Harrison	Mar 15 to Mar 22	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 12
Oceanside	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
Rome	Apr 8 to Apr 15	May 20 to Jun 3	May 20 to Jun 3	May 6
Centereach	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Bay Shore	Mar 7 to Mar 14	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Franklin Square	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Middletown	Mar 24 to Mar 31	May 5 to May 19	May 5 to May 19	Apr 21
North Tonawanda	Apr 8 to Apr 15	May 20 to Jun 3	May 20 to Jun 3	May 6
Saratoga Springs	Apr 4 to Apr 11	May 16 to May 30	May 16 to May 30	May 2
Glen Cove	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Newburgh	Apr 1 to Apr 8	May 13 to May 27	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Shirley	Mar 21 to Mar 28	May 2 to May 16	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Monsey	Mar 22 to Mar 29	May 3 to May 17	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Jamestown	Apr 10 to Apr 17	May 22 to Jun 5	May 22 to Jun 5	May 8
Ossining	Mar 28 to Apr 4	May 9 to May 23	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Deer Park	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Lindenhurst	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
West Islip	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Holbrook	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Plainview	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Elmira	Apr 8 to Apr 15	May 20 to Jun 3	May 20 to Jun 3	May 6
Auburn	Apr 4 to Apr 11	May 16 to May 30	May 16 to May 30	May 2
Peekskill	Apr 2 to Apr 9	May 14 to May 28	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Rockville Centre	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
Medford	Mar 21 to Mar 28	May 2 to May 16	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Dix Hills	Mar 12 to Mar 19	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
Smithtown	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Kingston	Apr 16 to Apr 23	May 28 to Jun 11	May 28 to Jun 11	May 14
Watertown	Apr 4 to Apr 11	May 16 to May 30	May 16 to May 30	May 2
Copiague	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Garden City	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Rotterdam	Mar 30 to Apr 6	May 11 to May 25	May 11 to May 25	Apr 27
Massapequa	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Merrick	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Selden	Mar 7 to Mar 14	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Mineola	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
East Patchogue	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Lynbrook	Mar 10 to Mar 17	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 7
North Bellmore	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Niskayuna	Mar 30 to Apr 6	May 11 to May 25	May 11 to May 25	Apr 27
Hauppauge	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
West Hempstead	Mar 5 to Mar 12	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Eastchester	Mar 23 to Mar 30	May 4 to May 18	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
North Bay Shore	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
North Amityville	Mar 9 to Mar 16	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 20 to May 4	Apr 6
Lockport	Mar 29 to Apr 5	May 10 to May 24	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
East Massapequa	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Huntington	Mar 12 to Mar 19	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
Nanuet	Mar 23 to Mar 30	May 4 to May 18	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20

Questions

When should I plant watermelon in New York?

In New York, plant out from April 15 to April 29. Across New York the window opens between April 15 and May 28, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 3–4 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for New York

Watermelon in other states

Frost dates for every city in New York