Frost dates for Sun Prairie, WI
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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
May 16
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 10
typical year
Growing season
160 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 3 – 17 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Onions | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Beets | – | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 29 – Sep 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 14 – 28 | May 23 – Jun 6 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 16 – Jun 6 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 16 – Jun 13 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 16 – Jun 6 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 16 – Aug 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 16 – Jun 13 | – |
| Basil | Apr 11 – 25 | May 23 – 30 | – |
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 16 | May 1 | April 16 |
| Fall frost before | September 26 | October 10 | October 24 |
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 20 (May 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Cottage Grove, Maple Bluff
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MADISON DANE RGNL AP, WI US (USW00014837), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
53590, 53597, 53598, 53704, 53714, 53716, 53718
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.