Frost dates for Sterling, 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 20
typical year
Safe to plant
June 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 21
typical year
Growing season
123 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 22 – May 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 8 – 29 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 22 – Jun 3 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 29 – Jul 13 |
| Beets | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Mar 11 – 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Mar 11 – 25 | May 6 – 20 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 10 – 31 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 6 – 20 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Jun 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 1 – Jul 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | May 20 | May 6 |
| Fall frost before | September 6 | September 21 | October 4 |
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 3 (May 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 30.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station STERLING 6SW, AK US (USC00508731), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
99568, 99672
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.