When to plant in Mackenzie, BC

Planting dates worked out from Mackenzie's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.

Last spring frost

Early · riskyMay 109 years in 10 still get a later frost
TypicalMay 29about half of years get a later frost
Safe to plant outJun 121 year in 10 gets a later frost

Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.

First fall frost

EarlyAug 131 year in 10 has frost by then
TypicalSep 8about half of years have had frost
LateSep 279 years in 10 have had frost by then

A typical year has 106 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.

Station used: Mackenzie A · 4.5 km away · station 690 m, town 771 m. How we match towns to stations

This season

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Planting dates for common crops

Crop	Start indoors	Plant out or sow	Harvest from
Tomato	Apr 17 – May 1	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Aug 6
Sweet pepper	Apr 3 – Apr 17	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Aug 11
Lettuce (leaf)	Mar 27 – Apr 3	May 1 – May 15	Jun 10
Peas	—	Apr 30 – May 28	Jun 24
Bush beans	—	Jun 5 – Jun 26	Jul 25
Carrot	—	May 12 – Jun 23	Jul 11
Beet	—	May 12 – Jun 23	Jul 1
Potato	—	May 12 – Jun 2	Jul 21
Kale	Mar 26 – Apr 9	May 7 – May 21	Jun 19
Broccoli	Mar 20 – Apr 3	May 1 – May 22	Jun 30
Cucumber	May 15 – May 22	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Aug 1
Summer squash and zucchini	May 15 – May 22	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Jul 27
Winter squash Season likely too short	May 15 – May 22	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Aug 31
Sweet corn	—	Jun 5 – Jun 26	Aug 4
Onion (from sets)	—	May 1 – May 22	Jul 30
Garlic	—	Aug 25 – Sep 22 (fall)	following summer
Spinach	—	Apr 30 – May 28	Jun 7
Basil	May 1 – May 15	Jun 12 – Jun 26	Aug 8

Plan all 65 crops for Mackenzie

Mackenzie'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 12
1972	Jul 1
1973	Jun 30
1974	Jun 25
1975	Jun 22
1976	Jun 21
1977	Jun 10
1978	May 31
1979	May 30
1980	Jun 7
1981	Jun 8
1982	Jun 6
1983	May 24
1984	Jun 1
1985	Jun 17
1986	Jun 26
1987	Jun 17
1988	Jul 4
1989	Jun 16
1990	Jun 2
1991	Jun 12
1992	Jun 4
1993	May 8
1996	Jul 2
1997	May 24
1998	May 10
1999	May 29
2000	May 26
2001	Jun 4
2002	May 26
2003	Jun 3
2004	Jun 3
2005	May 8
2006	May 14
2007	May 24
2008	Jun 9
2009	May 31
2010	Jun 15
2011	May 19
2012	Jun 3

Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend

See the data as a table

Year	Frost-free days
1971	74
1972	59
1973	49
1974	76
1975	79
1976	62
1977	82
1978	80
1979	112
1980	78
1981	85
1982	98
1983	107
1984	88
1985	69
1986	53
1987	27
1988	64
1989	85
1990	82
1991	37
1992	78
1993	126
1996	82
1997	131
1998	116
1999	47
2000	100
2001	92
2002	81
2003	108
2004	98
2005	135
2006	121
2007	116
2008	106
2009	118
2011	133
2012	99

Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend

See the data as a table

Year	Growing-season temperature
1971	10.7 °C
1972	9.5 °C
1973	9.8 °C
1974	9.7 °C
1975	10.1 °C
1976	9.9 °C
1977	10.4 °C
1978	10.4 °C
1979	10.2 °C
1980	10.7 °C
1981	10.8 °C
1982	10.3 °C
1983	10.3 °C
1984	9.2 °C
1985	9.8 °C
1986	9.4 °C
1987	10.9 °C
1988	10.1 °C
1989	11.4 °C
1990	11.3 °C
1991	11.2 °C
1992	10.8 °C
1993	11.8 °C
1995	11.5 °C
1996	9.8 °C
1997	11.1 °C
1998	12.7 °C
1999	10.3 °C
2000	10.2 °C
2001	10.3 °C
2002	9.7 °C
2003	10.7 °C
2004	11.7 °C
2005	11.4 °C
2006	11.9 °C
2007	10.8 °C
2008	10.8 °C
2009	11.6 °C
2011	10.5 °C
2012	11.5 °C

What this means for you: Since 1971, Mackenzie's last spring frost has come about 6 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 12 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.

Source: daily records from Mackenzie A (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.

Nearby towns

Fort St. James Vanderhoof