Frost dates for Big River Lakes, 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 7
typical year
Safe to plant
May 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 7
typical year
Growing season
151 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 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Onions | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jul 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 26 – Sep 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 25 – Jul 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Basil | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | May 7 | April 21 |
| Fall frost before | September 20 | October 7 | October 22 |
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 23 (May 9 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 19.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BIG RIVER LAKES, AK US (USC00500788), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 30 miles:
99635
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.