Frost dates for Dry Creek, 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 30
typical year
Safe to plant
June 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
August 24
typical year
Growing season
84 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 | – | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jun 29 – Jul 13 |
| Lettuce | – | May 2 – 23 | Jun 29 – Jul 13 |
| Radishes | – | May 2 – Jun 13 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Onions | – | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 9 – 30 | Jun 1 – 15 |
| Beets | – | May 2 – 16 | Jun 15 – 29 |
| Kale | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 2 – 16 | Jun 15 – 29 |
| Broccoli | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – 30 | Jun 15 – 29 |
| Cabbage | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | Jun 15 – 29 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 13 – Aug 3 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 13 – Jul 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 13 – Jul 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 13 – 15 | – |
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | May 9 – 23 | Jun 20 – 27 | – |
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 | June 13 | May 30 | May 16 |
| Fall frost before | August 9 | August 24 | September 5 |
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 May 18 (June 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 3.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DRY CREEK, AK US (USC00502568), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 27 miles:
99737
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.