Local planting guide · Mid-Atlantic
zip 07175
Newark is in USDA hardiness zone 7b, with average winter lows of 5°F to 10°F. The local growing season runs roughly 04/02 through 11/10 (~222 days). This zip falls within the Mid-Atlantic growing region.
- USDA zone
- 7b 5°F to 10°F
- Last spring frost
- 04/02
- First fall frost
- 11/10
- Growing season
- 222 days
- Compatible crops
- 83
- Growing region
- Mid-Atlantic
Right now in Newark
Week 18 priorities
On the docket: transplant out after last frost · direct sow after last frost. See the full calendar →
Gardening in Newark
Newark's gardening calendar is shaped by two constraints: a relatively late spring frost (April 2) and summer humidity. The 222-day growing season is respectable for zone 7b, but neither exceptionally long nor short. Stone fruits (apples, pears, cherries, plums) are the signature crops of this zone, and Newark's minimum winter temperatures (5–10°F) support them well.
The real planning axis is disease. Summer humidity favors fungal problems: fire blight on apples and pears, cedar-apple rust, powdery mildew. These are not exceptional to Newark but typical of humid zone 7b summers. Gardeners who succeed here build their variety selection around disease resistance, not around varietal popularity. Susceptible cultivars fail regardless of skill.
Vegetables thrive in the season length. Cool-season crops (brassicas, lettuce, spinach) do well in spring and especially in the fall window (September through early November), when humidity drops and disease pressure eases. Warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) can be started from transplants in mid-April to maximize production before the November 10 frost.
The late April frost date is the other critical detail. Early-blooming stone fruits, such as some Japanese plum varieties and peaches, often break dormancy in late March or early April and face bloom damage in a cold snap. Late-blooming cultivars avoid this risk entirely.
Regional context · Mid-Atlantic
What the Mid-Atlantic brings to Newark
Transition zone between North and South. Apples, peaches, grapes, and blueberries do well; long enough warm season for tomatoes and peppers, cool enough winter for stone-fruit chill.
Common challenges
Issues that most often defeat home gardeners in zone 7b, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ Cedar-apple rust pressure heavy in piedmont
- ▸ Japanese beetles
- ▸ Brown marmorated stink bug
- ▸ Late summer disease pressure
What defeats new gardeners in Newark
Late spring frost is the most dramatic hazard. April 2 is late enough to catch fruit tree flowers in full bloom, particularly Japanese and European plums and peaches. A single frost after flowering destroys the season's fruit production.
Summer humidity drives fungal disease pressure. Fire blight of apples and pears, cedar-apple rust (especially where native junipers grow nearby), and powdery mildew thrive in warm, wet conditions. Early detection and removal of infected branches helps, but disease-resistant varieties are foundational. Copper and sulfur sprays support resistant cultivars but cannot overcome genetic susceptibility.
Poor drainage is the third problem. Urban soils, especially in older neighborhoods, are often compacted clay that stays waterlogged after heavy rain. Root rot and soil-borne fungal diseases follow. Breaking up and amending the top 12–18 inches is worth the effort.
Crops that grow in Newark
83 crops from our catalog match zone 7b, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
15 crops
zone 7b Apple
Malus domestica
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Pear
Pyrus communis
zones 4a–8b
zone 7b Peach
Prunus persica
zones 5a–9a
zone 7b European Plum
Prunus domestica
zones 4a–8a
zone 7b Japanese Plum
Prunus salicina
zones 5b–9a
zone 7b Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium
zones 5a–8a
zone 7b Sour Cherry
Prunus cerasus
zones 4a–7b
zone 7b Fig
Ficus carica
zones 7a–10b
Berries
12 crops
zone 7b Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
zones 4a–7b
zone 7b Rabbiteye Blueberry
Vaccinium virgatum
zones 7a–9a
zone 7b Red Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 7b Black Raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
zones 4a–8a
zone 7b Yellow Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 7b Blackberry
Rubus subgenus Rubus
zones 5a–9a
zone 7b June-Bearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3a–8b
zone 7b Everbearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3b–9a
Nuts
6 crops
Vegetables
40 crops
zone 7b Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 7b Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 7b Potato
Solanum tuberosum
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
zones 3a–9b
zone 7b Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
zones 3b–9a
Herbs
10 crops
zone 7b Basil
Ocimum basilicum
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
zones 3b–9b
zone 7b Cilantro / Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
zones 3b–9b
zone 7b Dill
Anethum graveolens
zones 3b–9a
zone 7b Oregano
Origanum vulgare
zones 4a–9b
zone 7b Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
zones 4a–9a
zone 7b Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
zones 7a–10b
zone 7b Sage
Salvia officinalis
zones 4a–9a
Plan the year
Planting calendar for Newark
Year-view of seed starting, transplanting, planting, pruning, fertilizing, harvest, and pest-watch windows tuned to Newark's local frost dates.
Week ? · loading
This week in Newark, NJ (zone 7b)
Quiet week in Newark, NJ (zone 7b). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
418 bars · 83 crops
Calendar logic combines NOAA frost normals with crop-specific timing data. Local microclimate and weather always overrules the calendar; use this as a starting point.
Top pests for zone 7b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for IPM controls and signs to watch for.
Multiple species (Aphididae)
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects that reproduce explosively in spring. Excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants. Transmit viral diseases.
Odocoileus species
Whitetail and mule deer browse can devastate orchards and gardens, particularly in winter when food is scarce. Antler rub on young trunks kills saplings outright.
Sylvilagus and Lepus species
Cottontails and jackrabbits strip bark from young fruit trees in winter and graze tender garden vegetables year-round, especially seedlings.
Popillia japonica
Defoliating beetle introduced to North America in 1916. Skeletonizes leaves of many fruit trees, berry canes, and pecan.
Multiple species (Chrysomelidae)
Tiny black or bronze jumping beetles that put hundreds of small holes in seedling leaves. Most damaging on direct-seeded brassicas and young eggplant.
Microtus species
Field voles and meadow voles girdle young fruit-tree trunks under snow cover during winter and chew root crops. The leading cause of mysterious orchard losses.
Meloidogyne species
Microscopic soil-dwelling worm that forms galls on roots, reducing vigor and yield.
Tetranychus urticae
Tiny mite that feeds on leaf undersides, causing stippling and webbing during hot dry weather.
Top diseases for zone 7b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for symptoms, controls, and resistant varieties.
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (cucurbits) and others
Water mold (oomycete, not a true fungus) that thrives in cool damp conditions. Spreads rapidly through cucurbit and brassica plantings on wind-borne spores.
Pythium and Rhizoctonia species
Soil-borne complex of water molds and fungi that kill seedlings before or shortly after emergence. The single most common cause of seed-starting failures.
Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus, and others
Family of plant viruses producing mottled yellow-and-green leaf patterns. Vectored primarily by aphids; some are seed-transmitted or spread by handling tools and tobacco products.
Botrytis cinerea
Ubiquitous fungal disease that causes fruit rot during cool wet weather, often the dominant berry disease in humid regions.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Soil-borne bacterium that enters plants through wounds and induces tumor-like galls on roots, crown, and lower stems. Galls reduce vigor and shorten plant lifespan; on Rubus the disease is often fatal.
Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal disease that plugs vascular tissue and kills affected plants. Persists in soil for many years; impossible to eliminate once established.
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
Plasmodiophora brassicae
Soil-borne disease causing characteristic distorted club-shaped roots on brassicas. Persists in soil for 10-20 years; the dominant brassica pathogen in acidic poorly-drained soils.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 7b.
- Peach + Garlic
Garlic planted around peach trees suppresses peach borer and provides general fungal-pressure reduction.
- European Plum + Garlic
Garlic discourages plum curculio and provides general antifungal benefit beneath stone fruit.
- Fig + Rosemary
Rosemary tolerates the dry sites figs prefer and provides aromatic pest deterrence.
- American Persimmon + Pawpaw
Both natives thrive in similar soils and contribute to a polyculture that supports native pollinators and fauna.
- Jujube + Thyme
Thyme groundcover suits jujube's low-water profile and deters cabbage moth and aphid populations.
- Apricot + Basil
Basil's volatile oils discourage stone-fruit pests and support pollinator visits.
Soil types reference
Soil texture and pH decide what grows easily on your specific lot. Find the closest match below for crop recommendations and amendment guidance.
Practical tips for Newark
Choose late-blooming fruit varieties. For apples, pears, and stone fruits, select cultivars labeled late-season, frost-tolerant, or known to break dormancy after April 2. This single choice eliminates frost damage risk to flowers.
Maximize fall production. With 222 days from April 2 to November 10, there's ample time for a second harvest cycle. Direct-seed quick-maturing crops (lettuce, radishes, beans, turnips) in late July and August. Many of these tolerate the light frosts in October and early November, extending harvest into early winter.
Fix soil drainage. Amend compacted clay by incorporating 3–4 inches of compost into the top 12 inches, or build mounded rows and raised beds. Improved drainage reduces both root stress during dry spells and the fungal disease that establishes in saturated soil.
Frequently asked questions
- What stone fruits grow best in Newark?
Apples, pears, sour cherries, and European plums are the most reliable. Japanese plums and peaches are possible but require careful variety selection to avoid frost damage to late-blooming flowers. Sour cherries are the most forgiving for disease.
- When should I start tomatoes for transplants in Newark?
Start tomatoes indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost (April 2), so mid-February to early March. This gives transplants time to harden off before moving to the garden in mid-April.
- What's the biggest weather risk for gardeners in Newark?
Late spring frosts in April are the single biggest risk for fruit crop failures. If you garden through a few seasons, you'll see years where a frost in early April kills all the flowers on early-blooming trees.
- Can I grow figs in Newark?
Figs are borderline in zone 7b (5–10°F minimum); most varieties die to the ground in severe winters. Treat them as herbaceous perennials by cutting back hard after frost and allowing new shoots to emerge in spring, with heavy mulching and south-facing siting to improve winter survival.
- What's good for disease prevention in the humid summer?
Choose disease-resistant varieties where available, space plants for air circulation, mulch to reduce splash disease, and monitor for early signs of fungal infection. Sour cherries, for instance, are naturally resistant to many diseases that plague sweet cherries.
- Is the November 10 first frost date reliable for planning?
The November 10 date is a 30-year average (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Some years, hard frost arrives in late October; other years, you can garden into mid-November. Plan for October 20 as a safe cutoff for frost-sensitive crops, and use the November 10 date as a bonus window for hardy greens and root crops.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00014734. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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