When to plant in Nanton, AB
Planting dates worked out from Nanton's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jun 6
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 27
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 8
1 year in 10 by Aug 26
Frost-free days
108
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Claresholm Waterworks · 37.1 km away · station 1008 m, town 1019 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 31 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 5 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jun 8 |
| Peas | — | Apr 18 – May 16 | Jun 12 |
| Bush beans | — | May 30 – Jun 20 | Jul 19 |
| Carrot | — | May 6 – Jun 17 | Jul 5 |
| Beet | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 19 |
| Potato | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jul 15 |
| Kale | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jun 11 |
| Broccoli | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 28 |
| Cucumber | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 26 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 21 |
| Winter squash | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 25 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 30 – Jun 20 | Jul 29 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jul 28 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 25 – Sep 22 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 18 – May 16 | May 26 |
| Basil | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 2 |
Nanton's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1959 | May 25 |
| 1960 | May 23 |
| 1961 | May 18 |
| 1962 | May 10 |
| 1963 | May 22 |
| 1964 | Jun 10 |
| 1965 | May 18 |
| 1966 | May 13 |
| 1967 | Jun 23 |
| 1968 | May 20 |
| 1969 | Jun 13 |
| 1970 | May 19 |
| 1971 | May 22 |
| 1972 | May 19 |
| 1973 | Jun 11 |
| 1974 | May 19 |
| 1975 | May 22 |
| 1976 | May 29 |
| 1977 | May 18 |
| 1978 | May 25 |
| 1979 | Jun 15 |
| 1980 | May 14 |
| 1981 | May 16 |
| 1982 | Jun 8 |
| 1983 | May 31 |
| 1984 | Jun 2 |
| 1985 | Jun 11 |
| 1986 | May 16 |
| 1987 | Jun 3 |
| 1988 | May 25 |
| 1989 | May 30 |
| 1990 | May 22 |
| 1991 | May 11 |
| 1992 | May 25 |
| 1993 | Jun 4 |
| 1994 | Jun 17 |
| 1995 | May 27 |
| 1996 | May 25 |
| 1997 | May 21 |
| 1998 | Jun 3 |
| 1999 | Jun 8 |
| 2000 | Jun 1 |
| 2001 | May 21 |
| 2002 | May 24 |
| 2003 | May 19 |
| 2004 | May 24 |
| 2005 | May 27 |
| 2006 | May 14 |
| 2007 | May 26 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 106 |
| 1960 | 106 |
| 1961 | 112 |
| 1962 | 68 |
| 1963 | 139 |
| 1964 | 91 |
| 1965 | 109 |
| 1966 | 134 |
| 1968 | 118 |
| 1969 | 84 |
| 1970 | 113 |
| 1971 | 107 |
| 1972 | 104 |
| 1973 | 68 |
| 1974 | 86 |
| 1975 | 112 |
| 1976 | 101 |
| 1977 | 122 |
| 1978 | 131 |
| 1979 | 109 |
| 1980 | 117 |
| 1981 | 129 |
| 1982 | 98 |
| 1983 | 97 |
| 1984 | 88 |
| 1985 | 60 |
| 1986 | 95 |
| 1987 | 104 |
| 1988 | 105 |
| 1989 | 103 |
| 1990 | 118 |
| 1991 | 114 |
| 1992 | 88 |
| 1993 | 100 |
| 1994 | 79 |
| 1995 | 94 |
| 1996 | 117 |
| 1997 | 114 |
| 1998 | 109 |
| 1999 | 84 |
| 2000 | 87 |
| 2001 | 107 |
| 2002 | 118 |
| 2003 | 119 |
| 2004 | 119 |
| 2005 | 108 |
| 2006 | 126 |
| 2007 | 76 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 11.8 °C |
| 1960 | 13.1 °C |
| 1961 | 13.2 °C |
| 1962 | 13.1 °C |
| 1963 | 13.5 °C |
| 1964 | 11.9 °C |
| 1965 | 11.6 °C |
| 1966 | 12.5 °C |
| 1968 | 11.9 °C |
| 1969 | 13.2 °C |
| 1970 | 12.9 °C |
| 1971 | 13.0 °C |
| 1972 | 11.8 °C |
| 1973 | 12.7 °C |
| 1974 | 12.3 °C |
| 1975 | 11.3 °C |
| 1976 | 13.3 °C |
| 1977 | 12.5 °C |
| 1978 | 12.4 °C |
| 1979 | 12.7 °C |
| 1980 | 13.1 °C |
| 1981 | 13.2 °C |
| 1982 | 11.9 °C |
| 1983 | 12.7 °C |
| 1984 | 12.7 °C |
| 1985 | 12.9 °C |
| 1986 | 12.4 °C |
| 1987 | 13.5 °C |
| 1988 | 14.0 °C |
| 1989 | 12.8 °C |
| 1990 | 13.1 °C |
| 1991 | 12.7 °C |
| 1992 | 12.4 °C |
| 1993 | 11.7 °C |
| 1994 | 13.4 °C |
| 1995 | 11.7 °C |
| 1996 | 12.5 °C |
| 1997 | 12.8 °C |
| 1998 | 14.4 °C |
| 1999 | 11.8 °C |
| 2000 | 12.6 °C |
| 2001 | 14.3 °C |
| 2002 | 11.8 °C |
| 2003 | 13.3 °C |
| 2004 | 12.7 °C |
| 2005 | 12.6 °C |
| 2006 | 14.2 °C |
| 2007 | 13.5 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1959, Nanton's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Claresholm Waterworks (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.