Frost dates for Milan, 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 3
typical year
Safe to plant
May 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 10
typical year
Growing season
158 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 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 5 – 26 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 5 – May 17 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Onions | – | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Beets | – | Apr 5 – 19 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – 19 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 29 – Sep 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 25 – Aug 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Basil | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – 8 | – |
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 | May 25 | May 3 | April 17 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 10 | October 25 |
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 April 22 (May 12 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 23.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MILAN 4 ESE, MI US (USC00205450), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 5 miles:
48159, 48190, 48191
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.