Frost dates for Grand Marais, 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 27
typical year
Safe to plant
June 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 10
typical year
Growing season
138 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 29 – May 13 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 29 – Jun 10 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Onions | – | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Potatoes | – | May 6 – 20 | – |
| Carrots | – | May 6 – 27 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Beets | – | Apr 29 – May 13 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 13 – 27 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 29 – Sep 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 11 – 25 | Jun 20 – Jul 4 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 13 – Jul 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 13 – Jul 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 13 – Jul 4 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 13 – Aug 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 13 – Jul 11 | – |
| 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 27 | May 7 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 10 | October 27 |
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 27 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 25.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GRAND MARAIS 2 E, MI US (USW00014859), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
49839, 49883
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.