Frost dates for Empire, MI
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 22
typical year
Safe to plant
June 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 9
typical year
Growing season
140 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 24 – May 8 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 24 – May 15 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 24 – Jun 5 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Onions | – | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Potatoes | – | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Carrots | – | May 1 – 22 | Jul 17 – 31 |
| Beets | – | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Kale | Mar 13 – 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Broccoli | Mar 13 – 27 | May 8 – 22 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Cabbage | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 28 – Sep 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 11 – 25 | Jun 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 4 – 18 | Jun 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 6 – Jul 4 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 6 – Jul 31 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 6 – Jul 4 | – |
| Basil | May 2 – 16 | Jun 13 – 20 | – |
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 6 | May 22 | May 4 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 9 | October 26 |
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 9 (May 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Empire, Lake Ann
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MAPLE CITY 1E, MI US (USC00205097), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
49621, 49630, 49636, 49650, 49654, 49664
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.