When to plant in Whitecourt, AB
Planting dates worked out from Whitecourt's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 30
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 21
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 17
1 year in 10 by Sep 8
Frost-free days
114
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Whitecourt A · 6.6 km away · station 782 m, town 689 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 5 – Apr 19 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Jul 25 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Jul 30 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 20 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 3 |
| Peas | — | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 18 |
| Bush beans | — | May 23 – Jun 13 | Jul 12 |
| Carrot | — | May 5 – Jun 16 | Jul 4 |
| Beet | — | May 5 – Jun 16 | Jun 24 |
| Potato | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 14 |
| Kale | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – May 15 | Jun 13 |
| Broccoli | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jun 23 |
| Cucumber | May 3 – May 10 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Jul 20 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 3 – May 10 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Jul 15 |
| Winter squash | May 3 – May 10 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Aug 19 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 23 – Jun 13 | Jul 22 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jul 23 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 1 – Sep 29 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 1 |
| Basil | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 31 – Jun 14 | Jul 27 |
Whitecourt'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 |
|---|---|
| 1979 | May 29 |
| 1980 | May 31 |
| 1981 | May 5 |
| 1982 | Jun 7 |
| 1983 | May 24 |
| 1984 | May 13 |
| 1985 | Jun 9 |
| 1986 | May 16 |
| 1987 | May 21 |
| 1988 | May 21 |
| 1989 | May 28 |
| 1990 | May 14 |
| 1991 | May 26 |
| 1992 | May 24 |
| 1994 | May 31 |
| 1995 | May 26 |
| 1996 | May 12 |
| 1997 | May 23 |
| 1998 | May 10 |
| 1999 | May 30 |
| 2000 | May 29 |
| 2001 | May 11 |
| 2002 | May 25 |
| 2003 | May 20 |
| 2004 | May 24 |
| 2005 | May 11 |
| 2006 | May 13 |
| 2007 | May 23 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 85 |
| 1981 | 120 |
| 1982 | 96 |
| 1983 | 104 |
| 1984 | 122 |
| 1985 | 88 |
| 1986 | 112 |
| 1987 | 108 |
| 1988 | 112 |
| 1989 | 104 |
| 1990 | 102 |
| 1991 | 105 |
| 1992 | 89 |
| 1994 | 112 |
| 1995 | 114 |
| 1996 | 131 |
| 1998 | 132 |
| 1999 | 117 |
| 2000 | 114 |
| 2001 | 140 |
| 2002 | 104 |
| 2003 | 118 |
| 2004 | 107 |
| 2005 | 133 |
| 2006 | 136 |
| 2007 | 112 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 10.5 °C |
| 1980 | 11.4 °C |
| 1981 | 11.9 °C |
| 1982 | 10.3 °C |
| 1983 | 11.3 °C |
| 1984 | 10.8 °C |
| 1985 | 10.6 °C |
| 1986 | 10.6 °C |
| 1987 | 12.2 °C |
| 1988 | 12.1 °C |
| 1989 | 11.6 °C |
| 1990 | 11.9 °C |
| 1991 | 12.1 °C |
| 1992 | 10.9 °C |
| 1994 | 12.2 °C |
| 1995 | 11.1 °C |
| 1996 | 10.4 °C |
| 1998 | 13.4 °C |
| 1999 | 11.1 °C |
| 2000 | 10.6 °C |
| 2001 | 12.0 °C |
| 2002 | 10.3 °C |
| 2003 | 11.6 °C |
| 2004 | 11.0 °C |
| 2005 | 11.3 °C |
| 2006 | 13.2 °C |
| 2007 | 11.4 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Whitecourt A (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.