Frost dates for Shelby, 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 12
typical year
Safe to plant
May 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 10
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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 14 – May 5 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 14 – May 26 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Onions | – | Apr 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 21 – May 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Beets | – | Apr 14 – 28 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 14 – 28 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 28 – May 12 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – 28 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 29 – Sep 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 2 – 16 | May 28 – Jun 11 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Jun 4 – 18 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 28 – Jun 18 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 28 – Jun 25 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 28 – Jun 18 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 28 – Aug 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 28 – Jun 25 | – |
| Basil | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jun 4 – 11 | – |
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 28 | May 12 | April 25 |
| Fall frost before | September 25 | October 10 | 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 30 (May 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 25.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Shelby, Hart, Pentwater
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HART 3 WSW, MI US (USC00203632), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
49420, 49436, 49455
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.