Frost dates for Sterling Heights, 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
April 30
typical year
Safe to plant
May 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 24
typical year
Growing season
174 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 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 2 – 23 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 2 – May 14 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Beets | – | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – 30 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 2 – 16 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 12 – Oct 3 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 13 – 27 | May 22 – Jun 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 15 – Aug 15 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Basil | Apr 10 – 24 | May 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | April 30 | April 16 |
| Fall frost before | October 7 | October 24 | November 3 |
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 18 (May 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 3.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 6 towns.
Sterling Heights, Mount Clemens, Fraser, New Baltimore, New Haven, Utica
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MT CLEMENS ANG BASE, MI US (USW00014804), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 14 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
48026, 48035, 48036, 48038, 48042, 48043, 48044, 48045, 48047, 48048, 48051, 48082, 48313, 48315
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.