New Hampshire Gardening Guide (2026)

Cool, snowy; short season. Cool-season lawn and cold-hardy crops.

USDA hardiness zone
3โ€“5
Region
Northeast
Typical last spring frost
05/10
Typical first fall frost
09/25
Frost-free season
138 days
Lawn grass type
Cool-season

Quick answer (New Hampshire): Most of the state gardens in USDA zones 3โ€“5 with about a 138-day frost-free window. Plan around the typical last frost of 05/10; start warm-season crops indoors ~6 weeks earlier. Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) + state cooperative extension typical freeze dates.

Your New Hampshire planting calendar

Pre-filled for New Hampshire. Pick a crop to see indoor start, sow/transplant, and harvest dates you can print.

In New Hampshire (typical zone 3โ€“5, last frost โ‰ˆ May 10, first frost โ‰ˆ Sep 25, 138-day season), your Tomato plan:

Start seeds indoors
Mar 29
Sow / transplant outdoors
May 24
First harvest
Aug 2
Spacing / depth
24โ€ณ / 0.25โ€ณ

Month-by-month (New Hampshire, 2026)

MonthAction
Janโ€”
Febโ€”
MarStart indoors
Aprโ€”
MaySow ยท Transplant
Junโ€”
Julโ€”
AugHarvest
Sepโ€”
Octโ€”
Novโ€”
Decโ€”

Start indoors 6 weeks before last frost; transplant after soil warms. Zones 3โ€“13 suitable. Dates are typical; confirm with your county extension and watch the 10-day forecast.

Lawns in New Hampshire

Best grass types for your climate:

Kentucky BluegrassTall FescuePerennial RyegrassFine Fescue

Open the lawn care scheduler โ†’

Common pests in New Hampshire

The pests most reported in your region, with organic-first treatments:

TicksSlugs & SnailsAphids

Ticks

Targets
People, pets, edge plantings
Signs
Found on skin after yard exposure; tall grass and leaf litter.
Organic / IPM first
Cedar/mint barrier sprays; guinea fowl; clear leaf litter.
Chemical option (follow label)
Permethrin perimeter treatment; professional lawn application.
Prevention
Keep lawn mowed; 3-ft gravel barrier at wood line; deer exclusion.

What grows well in New Hampshire

Crops suitable for zones 3โ€“5:

CropTypeSpacingDays to harvest
TomatoWarm-season24โ€ณ70
PepperWarm-season18โ€ณ75
LettuceCool-season8โ€ณ45
CarrotCool-season3โ€ณ65
Green BeansWarm-season4โ€ณ55
SpinachCool-season6โ€ณ40
CucumberWarm-season12โ€ณ55
ZucchiniWarm-season36โ€ณ50
KaleCool-season12โ€ณ55
BroccoliCool-season18โ€ณ70

Figures are typical (30-year normals) from USDA and state extension services. Always confirm your local last/first freeze and product labels with your county extension before acting.