When to plant in Okotoks, AB
Planting dates worked out from Okotoks's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jun 7
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 23
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 13
1 year in 10 by Sep 3
Frost-free days
112
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Okotoks · 1.5 km away · station 1081 m, town 1071 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 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Aug 1 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Aug 6 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 4 |
| Peas | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | Jun 16 |
| Bush beans | — | May 31 – Jun 21 | Jul 20 |
| Carrot | — | May 3 – Jun 14 | Jul 2 |
| Beet | — | May 3 – Jun 14 | Jun 22 |
| Potato | — | May 3 – May 24 | Jul 12 |
| Kale | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jun 11 |
| Broccoli | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jun 24 |
| Cucumber | May 10 – May 17 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Jul 27 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 10 – May 17 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Jul 22 |
| Winter squash | May 10 – May 17 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Aug 26 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 31 – Jun 21 | Jul 30 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jul 24 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 30 – Sep 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | May 30 |
| Basil | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Aug 3 |
Okotoks'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 |
|---|---|
| 1991 | May 26 |
| 1992 | May 22 |
| 1993 | May 9 |
| 1994 | May 30 |
| 1995 | May 26 |
| 1996 | May 25 |
| 1997 | May 21 |
| 1998 | Jun 3 |
| 1999 | Jun 10 |
| 2000 | Jun 2 |
| 2001 | May 21 |
| 2002 | Jun 7 |
| 2003 | May 20 |
| 2004 | May 24 |
| 2005 | May 12 |
| 2006 | May 14 |
| 2007 | May 24 |
| 2008 | May 13 |
| 2009 | Jun 10 |
| 2010 | May 29 |
| 2011 | May 18 |
| 2012 | May 26 |
| 2013 | May 2 |
| 2014 | May 13 |
| 2015 | May 20 |
| 2016 | May 15 |
| 2017 | May 16 |
| 2018 | Jun 12 |
| 2019 | May 20 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | May 22 |
| 2022 | May 22 |
| 2023 | Apr 26 |
| 2024 | May 4 |
| 2025 | May 7 |
| 2026 | May 18 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 99 |
| 1992 | 91 |
| 1993 | 126 |
| 1994 | 113 |
| 1995 | 114 |
| 1996 | 103 |
| 1997 | 120 |
| 1998 | 114 |
| 1999 | 84 |
| 2000 | 100 |
| 2001 | 109 |
| 2002 | 104 |
| 2003 | 118 |
| 2004 | 117 |
| 2005 | 123 |
| 2006 | 126 |
| 2007 | 111 |
| 2008 | 111 |
| 2009 | 102 |
| 2010 | 110 |
| 2011 | 120 |
| 2012 | 107 |
| 2013 | 147 |
| 2014 | 117 |
| 2015 | 93 |
| 2016 | 112 |
| 2017 | 122 |
| 2018 | 92 |
| 2019 | 129 |
| 2020 | 117 |
| 2021 | 116 |
| 2022 | 121 |
| 2023 | 153 |
| 2024 | 139 |
| 2025 | 150 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.4 °C |
| 1992 | 11.3 °C |
| 1993 | 11.2 °C |
| 1994 | 12.9 °C |
| 1995 | 11.2 °C |
| 1996 | 11.6 °C |
| 1997 | 12.1 °C |
| 1998 | 13.8 °C |
| 1999 | 11.2 °C |
| 2000 | 12.0 °C |
| 2001 | 13.1 °C |
| 2002 | 11.1 °C |
| 2003 | 12.5 °C |
| 2004 | 12.1 °C |
| 2005 | 12.0 °C |
| 2006 | 13.8 °C |
| 2007 | 12.6 °C |
| 2008 | 12.2 °C |
| 2009 | 12.5 °C |
| 2010 | 11.5 °C |
| 2011 | 12.3 °C |
| 2012 | 13.5 °C |
| 2013 | 13.0 °C |
| 2014 | 12.7 °C |
| 2015 | 13.3 °C |
| 2016 | 13.5 °C |
| 2017 | 14.2 °C |
| 2018 | 12.4 °C |
| 2019 | 12.4 °C |
| 2020 | 12.9 °C |
| 2021 | 14.2 °C |
| 2022 | 13.6 °C |
| 2023 | 14.4 °C |
| 2024 | 13.8 °C |
| 2025 | 14.2 °C |
| 2026 | 13.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1991, Okotoks's last spring frost has come about 4 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 8 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Okotoks (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.