Frost dates for Lake Susitna, 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 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 4
typical year
Growing season
95 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 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | May 2 – 23 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | May 2 – Jun 13 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Onions | – | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 9 – 30 | Jun 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | May 2 – 16 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| Kale | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 2 – 16 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – 30 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| Cabbage | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 24 – Aug 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 14 – 28 | Jun 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 7 – 21 | Jun 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 9 – Jul 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 9 – 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 9 – Jul 7 | – |
| Basil | May 5 – 19 | Jun 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 | June 9 | May 30 | May 20 |
| Fall frost before | August 17 | September 4 | September 18 |
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 19 (May 31 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LAKE SUSITNA, AK US (USC00505397), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 16 miles:
99588
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.