When to plant in Sylvan Lake, AB
Planting dates worked out from Sylvan Lake'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 12
1 year in 10 by Sep 2
Frost-free days
115
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Eckville South · 21.1 km away · station 960 m, town 940 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 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 6 |
| Peas | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | Jun 21 |
| Bush beans | — | May 31 – Jun 21 | Jul 20 |
| Carrot | — | May 9 – Jun 20 | Jul 8 |
| Beet | — | May 9 – Jun 20 | Jun 28 |
| Potato | — | May 9 – May 30 | Jul 18 |
| Kale | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 16 |
| Broccoli | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jun 26 |
| 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 27 – May 18 | Jul 26 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 29 – Sep 26 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | Jun 4 |
| Basil | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | Aug 3 |
Sylvan Lake'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 |
|---|---|
| 1971 | Jun 26 |
| 1972 | May 19 |
| 1973 | May 12 |
| 1974 | May 31 |
| 1975 | May 28 |
| 1976 | Jun 14 |
| 1977 | Jun 3 |
| 1978 | May 27 |
| 1979 | Jun 16 |
| 1980 | May 31 |
| 1981 | May 12 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1985 | Jun 11 |
| 1986 | May 23 |
| 1987 | May 25 |
| 1988 | May 25 |
| 1989 | May 29 |
| 1990 | May 22 |
| 1991 | May 8 |
| 1992 | May 24 |
| 1994 | May 31 |
| 1995 | May 26 |
| 1996 | May 12 |
| 1997 | May 22 |
| 1998 | May 11 |
| 1999 | Jun 8 |
| 2000 | Jun 12 |
| 2001 | May 21 |
| 2002 | Jun 7 |
| 2003 | May 19 |
| 2004 | May 25 |
| 2005 | May 3 |
| 2006 | May 14 |
| 2007 | May 25 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 69 |
| 1972 | 104 |
| 1973 | 97 |
| 1974 | 92 |
| 1975 | 98 |
| 1976 | 85 |
| 1977 | 89 |
| 1978 | 104 |
| 1979 | 95 |
| 1980 | 82 |
| 1981 | 124 |
| 1985 | 82 |
| 1986 | 104 |
| 1987 | 78 |
| 1988 | 106 |
| 1991 | 117 |
| 1992 | 89 |
| 1994 | 112 |
| 1995 | 114 |
| 1996 | 117 |
| 1997 | 118 |
| 1998 | 137 |
| 1999 | 102 |
| 2000 | 84 |
| 2001 | 107 |
| 2002 | 92 |
| 2003 | 119 |
| 2004 | 116 |
| 2005 | 136 |
| 2006 | 126 |
| 2007 | 106 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 11.3 °C |
| 1972 | 10.2 °C |
| 1973 | 10.8 °C |
| 1974 | 10.2 °C |
| 1975 | 10.0 °C |
| 1976 | 11.7 °C |
| 1977 | 10.9 °C |
| 1978 | 11.1 °C |
| 1979 | 10.8 °C |
| 1980 | 10.9 °C |
| 1981 | 11.5 °C |
| 1983 | 11.2 °C |
| 1985 | 10.6 °C |
| 1986 | 10.4 °C |
| 1987 | 11.5 °C |
| 1988 | 11.6 °C |
| 1989 | 10.8 °C |
| 1990 | 11.6 °C |
| 1991 | 11.5 °C |
| 1994 | 12.4 °C |
| 1995 | 10.7 °C |
| 1996 | 10.7 °C |
| 1997 | 11.0 °C |
| 1998 | 13.2 °C |
| 1999 | 10.8 °C |
| 2000 | 10.7 °C |
| 2001 | 12.0 °C |
| 2002 | 10.3 °C |
| 2003 | 11.8 °C |
| 2004 | 11.2 °C |
| 2005 | 11.1 °C |
| 2006 | 12.9 °C |
| 2007 | 11.6 °C |
| 2009 | 11.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1971, Sylvan Lake's last spring frost has come about 3 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 Eckville South (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.