Bretton Woods, NH frost dates
Last spring frostAny monthno frost-free season
Freezing nights233 / yrat or below 32°F
Hardiness zone5aZone 5a
Gardening where frost is possible all year
The weather station nearest Bretton Woods, NH records freezing temperatures in every month often enough that NOAA cannot define a frost-free season. Gardening is still possible — it just means planning for frost at any time:
- Grow fast, cold-tolerant crops: Radishes, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Peas, Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Garlic.
- Plant once the soil can be worked — usually late spring to early summer at high elevation — and keep row covers ready for clear, still nights.
- Use season extension: cold frames, low tunnels, wall-of-water cloches or a greenhouse turn a few frost-free weeks into a real season.
- Frost-tender crops (tomatoes, squash, beans) need protection all season; choose the earliest varieties you can find.
How Bretton Woods compares
- Nearby Portland, ME, 115 km away, has a regular frost season (last frost Apr 26), a reminder of how much elevation and distance from the coast matter.
About these dates
Based on 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for the Mt Washington, NH weather station, 11 km away (elevation 6,266 ft (1,910 m)).
Frost dates near Bretton Woods
- Twin Mountain May 24 · Sep 18
- Jefferson May 8 · Oct 1
- Whitefield May 27 · Sep 19
- Randolph May 14 · Sep 26
- Bethlehem May 24 · Sep 18
- Jackson May 18 · Oct 1
- Bartlett May 7 · Oct 5
- Franconia May 24 · Sep 18
- Glen May 7 · Oct 5
- Littleton May 24 · Sep 18
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in Bretton Woods, NH?
Bretton Woods, NH can freeze in any month, so there is no reliable last frost date. The nearest NOAA station averages 233 nights a year at or below 32°F.
What can I grow in Bretton Woods, NH?
Fast, cold-tolerant crops such as radishes, lettuce, spinach, kale, peas and potatoes, ideally under row covers, cold frames or a greenhouse. Frost-tender crops like tomatoes need protection all season.