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Michigan frost dates
Across the 36Michigan weather stations below, the average last spring frost ranges from Apr 20 in Detroit Metro to May 31 in Pellston. The statewide middle is about May 7 for the last spring frost and Oct 15 for the first fall frost. Detroit has the longest growing season, about 193 days. Hardiness zones in these places: 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b.
Frost dates by city
| Place | Zone | Last spring frost | 90% safe after | First fall frost | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Metro | 6b | Apr 20 | May 8 | Oct 27 | 190 |
| Detroit | 6b | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 31 | 193 |
| Detroit Willow Run | 6a | Apr 24 | May 11 | Oct 24 | 183 |
| Saginaw Mbs | 6a | Apr 26 | May 13 | Oct 17 | 174 |
| Adrian Lenawee | 6a | Apr 27 | May 14 | Oct 20 | 176 |
| Holland Tulip | 6b | Apr 28 | May 16 | Oct 21 | 176 |
| Kalamazoo Battle Ck | 6a | Apr 28 | May 13 | Oct 18 | 173 |
| Port Hope | 6a | Apr 28 | May 14 | Nov 3 | 189 |
| Grand Rapids | 6a | Apr 29 | May 15 | Oct 20 | 174 |
| Pontiac Oakland | 6a | Apr 29 | May 14 | Oct 20 | 174 |
| Battle Creek Kellogg | 6a | Apr 30 | May 17 | Oct 19 | 172 |
| Mt Clemens Ang Base | 6b | Apr 30 | May 15 | Oct 24 | 177 |
| Muskegon | 6b | Apr 30 | May 18 | Oct 19 | 172 |
| Jackson Reynolds | 6a | May 1 | May 18 | Oct 14 | 166 |
| Lansing Capital | 6a | May 1 | May 18 | Oct 13 | 165 |
| Benton Harbor | 6b | May 4 | May 22 | Oct 17 | 166 |
| Alpena Wwtp | 5b | May 5 | May 21 | Oct 17 | 165 |
| Flint Bishop | 6a | May 6 | May 23 | Oct 10 | 157 |
| Ann Arbor | 6a | May 8 | May 26 | Oct 4 | 149 |
| Marquette | 5b | May 8 | May 23 | Oct 21 | 166 |
| Gladwin | 5b | May 9 | May 23 | Oct 4 | 148 |
| Sault Ste Marie Sanderson | 4b | May 9 | May 27 | Oct 11 | 155 |
| Copper Harbor | 6a | May 10 | Jun 2 | Oct 21 | 164 |
| Traverse Cherry Cptl | 5b | May 12 | May 27 | Oct 16 | 157 |
| Escanaba | 5a | May 13 | May 31 | Oct 7 | 147 |
| Gaylord 9 Ssw | 5a | May 15 | May 30 | Oct 7 | 145 |
| Alpena | 5b | May 17 | May 31 | Oct 1 | 137 |
| Hancock Houghton | 5b | May 17 | Jun 3 | Oct 1 | 137 |
| Cadillac | 5a | May 19 | Jun 3 | Oct 1 | 135 |
| Houghton Lk Roscommon | 5a | May 19 | Jun 3 | Sep 23 | 127 |
| Gaylord Otsego | 5a | May 22 | Jun 6 | Sep 30 | 131 |
| Munsing Lakeshore | 5b | May 23 | Jun 8 | Oct 10 | 140 |
| Iron Mtn Ford | 4b | May 25 | Jun 6 | Sep 24 | 122 |
| Chatham 1 Se | 5a | May 27 | Jun 12 | Sep 28 | 124 |
| Grand Marais 2 E | 5b | May 27 | Jun 13 | Oct 10 | 136 |
| Pellston | 5a | May 31 | Jun 21 | Sep 18 | 110 |
Dates are the 50% probability of a 32°F freeze (NOAA 1991–2020 normals); "90% safe after" is the date after which a later spring freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.
When to plant in Michigan
Using the statewide middle dates (last frost May 7, first frost Oct 15). Adjust for your town with the table above or the planting calendar.
| Plant | When to plant in Michigan |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | May 14 – May 28 |
| Peas | Mar 26 – Apr 16; fall: Jul 23 – Aug 13 |
| Potatoes | Apr 9 – Apr 30 |
| Green beans | May 14 – May 28; fall: Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Garlic | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Tulips | Oct 1 – Nov 12 |