Frost dates for Sault Ste. Marie, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
May 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 11
typical year
Growing season
151 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 11 – May 23 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Onions | – | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Beets | – | Apr 11 – 25 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – 25 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 11 – 25 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 30 – Sep 20 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 1 – 15 | May 27 – Jun 10 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Jun 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 27 – Jun 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 27 – Jun 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 27 – Jun 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 27 – Aug 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 27 – Jun 24 | – |
| Basil | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 3 – 10 | – |
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 27 | May 9 | April 27 |
| Fall frost before | September 26 | October 11 | 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 April 27 (May 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 26.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Sault Ste. Marie
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SAULT STE MARIE SANDERSON FLD, MI US (USW00014847), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 5 miles:
49783
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.