Generally — Most Areas
chickling vetch (zones 4-7) suits most of New Hampshire (3b-6b) — zones 4-6 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Chickling Vetch is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical New Hampshire site runs ~171 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score chickling vetch against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Zone Comparison
Chickling Vetch Needs
- USDA Zones: 4-7
- Frost-Free Days: 90+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 2 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: High
New Hampshire Has
- USDA Zones: 3b-6b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 22 - May 4
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 21
- Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 4-7)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire
The frost window
Across New Hampshire, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 159-day window you can count on — up to 182 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
When to start the seed
Chickling Vetch is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — New Hampshire's dates above are the whole calendar for it. That makes the last-freeze date the binding constraint, and a warmer pocket of your own yard is worth more to this crop than it is to a transplanted one.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 120 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 39 days to spare even in New Hampshire's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Coos County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says chickling vetch survives winter in part of New Hampshire, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Chickling Vetch wants 90+ frost-free days; a typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Chickling Vetch needs ~1200 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1870 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so New Hampshire's typical season clears that easily.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Chickling Vetch tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in New Hampshire. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Hampshire soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Hampshire site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
New Hampshire's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for chickling vetch is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how chickling vetch performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. New Hampshire soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 4-7 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 22 - May 4 to Oct 10 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 120 days
What Else to Consider for Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Hampshire growers also need to think about:
Very short season in the White Mountains (80-100 frost-free days)
Rocky glacial soils throughout the state
Harsh winters with deep snow cover
Growing chickling vetch here specifically
New Hampshire's soils run mostly fine sandy loam (Spodosols), and whether that suits chickling vetch's pH 5.0–8.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward chickling vetch's 5.0–8.0 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Hampshire grower, not just chickling vetch — is covered on the New Hampshire growing guide.
Timing shifts within New Hampshire
New Hampshire isn't one climate. In Coos County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 13 — roughly 16 days later than the recorded state median — so plant chickling vetch to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Chickling Vetch needs about 90 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Coos County — New Hampshire’s shortest season at 145 frost-free days — clears that by 55 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in New Hampshire. What varies is your own parcel.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Chickling Vetch's 90-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in New Hampshire Fits Best
Even within New Hampshire's zones 3b-6b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for chickling vetch (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Chickling Vetch draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, chickling vetch can only work that bloom inside New Hampshire's frost window — roughly 171 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 22 - May 4) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Chickling Vetch
Chickling Vetch is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (seeds) at a moderate level (Cornell). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in New Hampshire this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Oct 10 - Oct 21) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
For New Hampshire-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for chickling vetch, the canonical source is UNH Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Chickling Vetch native to New Hampshire?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Chickling Vetch as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The New Hampshire growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire
When can I plant Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.
Can Chickling Vetch mature before first frost in New Hampshire?
Yes — Chickling Vetch matures in 120 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and New Hampshire's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 159 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 39 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.
What hardiness zone is Chickling Vetch grown in across New Hampshire?
New Hampshire spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Chickling Vetch carries a range of zones 4-7, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical New Hampshire site have?
A typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Chickling Vetch needs 90+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Coos, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Chickling Vetch native to New Hampshire?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Chickling Vetch as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Chickling Vetch in New Hampshire?
Chickling Vetch tolerates pH 5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a New Hampshire site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Chickling Vetch actually grow on my specific land in New Hampshire?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores chickling vetch against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in New Hampshire
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores chickling vetch against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that New Hampshire chickling vetch averages can't show:
We read public map data around New Hampshire — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Hampshire chickling vetch average
Explore More
Growing guides for chickling vetch
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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