Frost dates for Soldotna, 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
June 11
typical year
Safe to plant
July 7
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 1
typical year
Growing season
75 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Spinach | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | May 14 – Jun 25 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Onions | – | May 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jun 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | May 14 – 28 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 |
| Kale | Apr 2 – 16 | May 14 – 28 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 |
| Broccoli | Apr 2 – 16 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 |
| Cabbage | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – 28 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 21 – Aug 11 |
| 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Zucchini | – | Jul 7 – Aug 4 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
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 | July 7 | June 11 | May 26 |
| Fall frost before | August 11 | September 1 | 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 23 (June 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 16.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Soldotna
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SOLDOTNA 5SSW, AK US (USC00508615), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
99610, 99669
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.