When Is The Last Frost Before Spring Gardening Can Start In RI?

RHODE ISLAND — Gardeners in Rhode Island who have the itch to start digging in the dirt should hold off a bit longer before scratching.

The ground in the Providence area should be warm enough for planting by April 17, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. The website has a handy tool to find the average date of the last frost by city and state, right down to the ZIP code.

This isn’t a fail-safe date. It’s based on historical climate data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, and the probability of a frost after the average date is about 30 percent.

Almost anything that grows in the ground can be put in a pot. Vegetables in containers should be placed in sunny locations on decks, balconies and other open-air spaces. The same frost dates apply.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s extended weather forecast for the Atlantic Corridor, which also includes Rhode Island, says April will be about 2 degrees warmer than usual. Expect a cool, rainy beginning to the month, before the sun starts shining the second week of the month. Rhode Island is expected to cool down and get rainy again the third week of April, but should warm u again the final week.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which has advised readers how and when to grow things since 1792, also has a 2025 planting guide calculator that allows Rhode Island gardeners to narrow down when they should put different vegetables in the ground.

Some plants to start with in Rhode Island are asparagus, arugula, beets, and carrots.

Another good resource for gardeners is the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension. The scientists and specialists experience the same gardening challenges when it comes to weather conditions and pest management, and can provide geographically specific advice to plant what food crops.

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