Last and first frost dates in Blenheim
New Zealand
In Blenheim the last spring frost usually comes around 10 August and the first autumn frost around 31 May, which leaves about 294 frost-free days (median of 2016–2025). Tomato seedlings can go into open ground from 30 October to 8 February.
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| Last spring frost | around 10 August |
|---|---|
| First autumn frost | around 31 May |
| Frost-free days | 294 days |
Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.
When is the last frost in Blenheim?
The last frost in Blenheim usually comes around 10 August: that is the median of 2016–2025, so in about half of those years the last night at or below 0 °C came later. Hardy crops start before it and frost-tender ones only after it: in the table below arugula can go into open ground from 20 July, while corn waits until 20 September. The first autumn frost follows around 31 May, about 294 days later: harvest or cover frost-tender crops before then.
When to sow and plant
| Crop | Sow for seedlings | Plant out in a greenhouse | Open ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achocha | 1 July – 20 February | 10 August – 31 March | 31 August – 31 March |
| Ageratum | from 14 August | — | from 30 October |
| Arugula | — | — | sow 20 July – 25 April |
| Basil | 13 October – 28 March | 20 November – 5 May | 11 December – 5 May |
| Beet | — | — | sow 20 July – 31 March |
| Bell Pepper | 21 September – 10 December | 20 November – 8 February | 11 December – 8 February |
| Black-eyed Susan | from 9 June | — | from 31 August |
| Bok Choy | 6 July – 8 April | 10 August – 13 May | 31 August – 13 May |
| Borage | — | — | sow 17 August – 5 April |
| Broad bean | — | — | sow 20 July – 20 February |
| Broccoli | — | — | sow 20 July – 13 February |
| Brussels Sprouts | 15 May – 11 January | 29 June – 25 February | 20 July – 25 February |
| Busy Lizzie | from 25 May | — | from 17 August |
| Cabbage | — | — | sow 20 July – 21 January |
| Calendula | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Carrot | — | — | sow 20 July – 7 March |
| Cauliflower | 18 May – 13 February | 29 June – 26 March | 20 July – 26 March |
| Celeriac | 25 May – 11 December | 10 August – 26 February | 31 August – 26 February |
| Celery | 25 May – 21 December | 10 August – 7 March | 31 August – 7 March |
| Celosia | from 1 September | from 16 October | from 6 November |
| Chamomile | — | — | sow 20 July – 26 March |
| Chayote | 3 June – 4 December | 30 August – 1 March | 20 September – 1 March |
| Chickpea | — | — | sow 20 July – 10 February |
| Chicory | 4 June – 6 March | — | 20 July – 31 March |
| Chili Pepper | 21 September – 16 January | 20 November – 16 March | 11 December – 16 March |
| China aster | from 29 September | from 20 November | from 11 December |
| Chives | — | — | sow 20 July – 17 March |
| Cilantro | — | — | sow 20 July – 27 March |
| Corn | — | — | sow 20 September – 10 February |
| Corn poppy | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Cosmos | from 1 September | from 16 October | from 6 November |
| Cucumber | 23 October – 16 February | 20 November – 15 March | 11 December – 15 March |
| Daikon | — | — | sow 20 July – 24 March |
| Delphinium | from 1 May | — | from 20 July |
| Dill | — | — | sow 20 July – 6 April |
| Edging lobelia | from 8 June | — | from 31 August |
| Eggplant | 21 September – 10 December | 20 November – 8 February | 11 December – 8 February |
| Florence fennel | 26 June – 20 February | 10 August – 5 April | 31 August – 5 April |
| Foxglove | from 13 April | — | from 20 July |
| Garden sorrel | — | — | sow 20 July – 25 March |
| Green Beans | — | — | sow 6 November – 18 February |
| Hollyhock | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Hyssop | — | — | sow 20 July – 16 February |
| Kale | — | — | sow 20 July – 19 March |
| Kiwano | 7 September – 23 February | 9 October – 26 March | 30 October – 26 March |
| Kohlrabi | — | — | sow 20 July – 29 March |
| Leek | 20 April – 2 December | 29 June – 10 February | 20 July – 10 February |
| Lemon balm | — | — | sow 20 July – 21 March |
| Lettuce | — | — | sow 20 July – 3 April |
| Lisianthus | from 3 April | from 29 June | from 20 July |
| Lovage | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Luffa | 9 October – 18 December | 20 November – 29 January | 11 December – 29 January |
| Marigold | from 29 June | from 10 August | from 31 August |
| Marjoram | 21 September – 6 March | — | 11 December – 5 May |
| Melon | 23 October – 3 February | 20 November – 2 March | 11 December – 2 March |
| Microgreens | — | — | sow 6 November – 16 May |
| Moringa | 20 September – 11 March | 14 November – 5 May | 5 December – 5 May |
| Moss rose | from 1 June | — | from 17 August |
| Mustard greens | — | — | sow 20 July – 15 April |
| Napa cabbage | 8 July – 16 March | 10 August – 18 April | 31 August – 18 April |
| Nasturtium | from 3 July | from 10 August | from 31 August |
| Okra | 9 October – 28 February | 20 November – 10 April | 11 December – 10 April |
| Oregano | 30 April – 25 February | 29 June – 25 April | 20 July – 25 April |
| Pansy | from 4 May | from 29 June | from 20 July |
| Parsley | — | — | sow 20 July – 15 March |
| Parsnip | — | — | sow 20 July – 2 February |
| Peanut | 14 October – 24 January | 20 November – 1 March | 11 December – 1 March |
| Peas | — | — | sow 20 July – 17 March |
| Petunia | from 18 September | from 20 November | from 11 December |
| Physalis | 25 August – 21 January | 9 October – 6 March | 30 October – 6 March |
| Pumpkin | 9 October – 23 December | 20 November – 3 February | 11 December – 3 February |
| Purple coneflower | from 28 April | — | from 20 July |
| Radish | — | — | sow 20 July – 30 April |
| Sage | 11 May – 21 February | 29 June – 10 April | 20 July – 10 April |
| Scarlet sage | from 18 August | — | from 30 October |
| Snapdragon | from 25 April | from 29 June | from 20 July |
| Soybean | — | — | sow 11 December – 11 March |
| Spinach | — | — | sow 20 July – 5 April |
| Stevia | 21 August – 12 January | 9 October – 1 March | 30 October – 1 March |
| Stock | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Sunflower | — | — | sow from 6 November |
| Sweet alyssum | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Sweet Corn | 26 August – 6 March | 17 September – 28 March | 8 October – 28 March |
| Sweet pea | from 18 May | from 29 June | from 20 July |
| Sweet William | — | — | sow from 20 July |
| Swiss Chard | — | — | sow 20 July – 31 March |
| Thyme | — | — | sow 20 July – 10 February |
| Tomato | 18 August – 18 December | 9 October – 8 February | 30 October – 8 February |
| Turnip | — | — | sow 20 July – 2 April |
| Watercress | — | — | sow 20 July – 13 April |
| Watermelon | 23 October – 22 January | 20 November – 19 February | 11 December – 19 February |
| Zinnia | from 10 October | from 14 November | from 5 December |
| Zucchini | 30 October – 21 February | 20 November – 13 March | 11 December – 13 March |
Planting out: a week after the last frost once the soil is warm enough for the crop; frost-hardy crops three weeks before it; an unheated greenhouse three weeks earlier. Seedlings are sown so they are ready on that day. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
When the soil warms up in Blenheim
The day the top 7 cm of soil first averages each temperature over a week, median of 2016–2025 (ERA5 via Open-Meteo). The soil reaches 10 °C 21 days after the last spring frost and 15 °C 81 days after it.
| Soil | Date | Against the last spring frost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 °C | already in the first week of July | — |
| 10 °C | 31 August | 21 days later |
| 15 °C | 30 October | 81 days later |
| 18 °C | 11 December | 123 days later |
Frost dates near Blenheim
Of the nearest cities on our list, the last spring frost ends earliest in Nelson (4 August) and latest in Wellington (17 August).
| City | Distance | Last spring frost | First autumn frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson | 63 km | 4 August | 21 June |
| Wellington | 73 km | 17 August | — |
| Palmerston North | 189 km | 11 August | 21 June |
| Christchurch | 249 km | 10 August | 5 June |
| New Plymouth | 272 km | — | — |
Seeds, seedlings and markets in Blenheim
Within 15 km of Blenheim OpenStreetMap lists 1 market and 1 farm shop (collected 28 October 2026). The nearest market to the city centre is Marlborough Farmers' Market, 2 km away.
- Marlborough Farmers' Market — market
Maxwell Road · Sun 09:00–12:00 · 2 km - Golden Mile Produce — farm shop
Sat 14:00–18:00 · 6 km
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
What to grow at home in winter in Blenheim
Frosts in Blenheim usually come from about 31 May to about 10 August. These plants have indoor care in their Greenly cards and are harvested quickly, so they can be sown on a windowsill in winter.
Blenheim: weather for the next 7 days
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Nights at or below 0 °C are marked as frost.
Weather in Blenheim by month
Average weather in Blenheim over 2016–2025: the warmest month is January. Months that average 20 °C or more by day: December–March (21.1–23.3 °C). No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in July, average 5.3 °C. About 857 mm of rain falls in a year, on 110 days; July is the wettest month (92 mm) and January the driest (50 mm).
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23.3 | 14 | 50 | 7 |
| February | 23 | 13.8 | 65 | 6 |
| March | 21.1 | 12.3 | 61 | 8 |
| April | 18.3 | 10.2 | 75 | 7 |
| May | 15.7 | 8.2 | 72 | 9 |
| June | 13.1 | 6.2 | 84 | 11 |
| July | 12.7 | 5.3 | 92 | 10 |
| August | 13.5 | 5.5 | 73 | 10 |
| September | 15.3 | 7.2 | 67 | 10 |
| October | 17.8 | 8.8 | 71 | 11 |
| November | 19.9 | 11 | 69 | 11 |
| December | 21.8 | 12.9 | 78 | 10 |
Average of the daily highs and lows, rain per month and days with at least 1 mm (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, the same grid cell as the frost dates).
Planted in autumn
| Crop | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Bearded Iris | by 1 May |
| Crocus | by 1 May |
| Daffodil | by 1 May |
| Garlic | 1 May – end of June |
| Grape hyacinth | by 1 May |
| Hellebore | by 1 May |
| Hyacinth | by 1 May |
| Lily | by 1 May |
| Ornamental onion | by 1 May |
| Peony | by 1 May |
| Saffron | by 1 May |
| Snowdrop | by 1 May |
| Tulip | by 1 May |
| Wild garlic | by 1 May |
From a month before the first autumn frost, so the roots grow before winter, to the late-planting limit on each crop’s page (about two weeks before the ground freezes, by ten years of weather).