Frost dates for Anchorage Merrill Fld, AK
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
May 1
typical year
Safe to plant
May 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 29
typical year
Growing season
150 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Onions | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jul 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Apr 3 – 17 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Broccoli | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 18 – Sep 8 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 14 – 28 | May 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 7 – 21 | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 9 – Jul 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Basil | Apr 4 – 18 | May 16 – 23 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 9 | May 1 | April 19 |
| Fall frost before | September 17 | September 29 | October 12 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 19 (May 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 8.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ANCHORAGE MERRILL FLD, AK US (USW00026409), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
99501, 99506, 99508, 99513
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.