When to plant in Port McNeill, BC
Planting dates worked out from Port McNeill's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 7
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 19
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Nov 5
1 year in 10 by Oct 15
Frost-free days
196
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Port Hardy A · 22.1 km away · station 22 m, town 10 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 14 – Apr 28 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Aug 3 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Aug 8 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 24 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 10 |
| Peas | — | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | May 25 |
| Bush beans | — | May 26 – Jun 16 | Jul 15 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 24 – Jun 5 | Jun 23 |
| Beet | — | Apr 24 – Jun 5 | Jun 13 |
| Potato | — | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jul 3 |
| Kale | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | May 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | May 30 |
| Cucumber | May 12 – May 19 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Jul 29 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 12 – May 19 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Jul 24 |
| Winter squash | May 12 – May 19 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Aug 28 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 26 – Jun 16 | Jul 25 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Jun 29 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 23 – Oct 21 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | May 8 |
| Basil | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jun 9 – Jun 23 | Aug 5 |
Port McNeill'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 |
|---|---|
| 1945 | Apr 8 |
| 1946 | Apr 30 |
| 1947 | Apr 4 |
| 1948 | May 4 |
| 1949 | May 4 |
| 1950 | Apr 28 |
| 1951 | May 2 |
| 1952 | May 8 |
| 1953 | May 1 |
| 1954 | May 5 |
| 1955 | May 23 |
| 1956 | May 4 |
| 1957 | Apr 20 |
| 1958 | Apr 27 |
| 1959 | May 5 |
| 1960 | Apr 16 |
| 1961 | Apr 20 |
| 1962 | May 8 |
| 1963 | Apr 11 |
| 1964 | May 15 |
| 1965 | May 6 |
| 1966 | May 17 |
| 1967 | Apr 28 |
| 1968 | Apr 21 |
| 1969 | May 3 |
| 1970 | May 6 |
| 1971 | May 17 |
| 1972 | Apr 22 |
| 1973 | May 10 |
| 1974 | May 16 |
| 1975 | May 25 |
| 1976 | Apr 22 |
| 1977 | Apr 18 |
| 1978 | Apr 18 |
| 1979 | Apr 21 |
| 1980 | Apr 7 |
| 1981 | Apr 18 |
| 1982 | Apr 26 |
| 1983 | Apr 14 |
| 1984 | Apr 24 |
| 1985 | Apr 28 |
| 1986 | Apr 30 |
| 1987 | Mar 27 |
| 1988 | Apr 12 |
| 1989 | Apr 8 |
| 1990 | Mar 26 |
| 1991 | Apr 12 |
| 1992 | Apr 23 |
| 1994 | Apr 5 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | May 9 |
| 1997 | Apr 7 |
| 1998 | Apr 15 |
| 1999 | May 9 |
| 2000 | Apr 17 |
| 2001 | Apr 15 |
| 2002 | May 7 |
| 2003 | Apr 4 |
| 2004 | Apr 6 |
| 2005 | Apr 14 |
| 2006 | Apr 23 |
| 2007 | Apr 3 |
| 2008 | Apr 23 |
| 2009 | Apr 29 |
| 2010 | May 4 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | Apr 21 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1945 | 194 |
| 1946 | 167 |
| 1947 | 199 |
| 1948 | 165 |
| 1949 | 166 |
| 1950 | 155 |
| 1951 | 166 |
| 1952 | 182 |
| 1953 | 199 |
| 1954 | 151 |
| 1955 | 151 |
| 1956 | 171 |
| 1957 | 169 |
| 1958 | 191 |
| 1959 | 182 |
| 1960 | 206 |
| 1961 | 182 |
| 1962 | 191 |
| 1963 | 199 |
| 1964 | 163 |
| 1965 | 156 |
| 1966 | 148 |
| 1967 | 188 |
| 1968 | 196 |
| 1969 | 166 |
| 1970 | 171 |
| 1971 | 162 |
| 1972 | 155 |
| 1973 | 149 |
| 1974 | 169 |
| 1975 | 168 |
| 1976 | 175 |
| 1977 | 184 |
| 1978 | 189 |
| 1979 | 199 |
| 1980 | 228 |
| 1981 | 185 |
| 1982 | 174 |
| 1983 | 183 |
| 1984 | 175 |
| 1985 | 162 |
| 1986 | 191 |
| 1987 | 233 |
| 1988 | 215 |
| 1989 | 202 |
| 1990 | 242 |
| 1991 | 195 |
| 1992 | 174 |
| 1994 | 210 |
| 1995 | 196 |
| 1996 | 173 |
| 1997 | 242 |
| 1998 | 205 |
| 1999 | 175 |
| 2000 | 205 |
| 2001 | 215 |
| 2002 | 157 |
| 2003 | 209 |
| 2004 | 248 |
| 2005 | 206 |
| 2006 | 189 |
| 2007 | 230 |
| 2008 | 174 |
| 2009 | 194 |
| 2010 | 189 |
| 2011 | 205 |
| 2012 | 186 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1945 | 11.0 °C |
| 1946 | 11.4 °C |
| 1947 | 11.5 °C |
| 1948 | 11.2 °C |
| 1949 | 11.2 °C |
| 1950 | 10.9 °C |
| 1951 | 11.5 °C |
| 1952 | 10.9 °C |
| 1953 | 11.3 °C |
| 1954 | 10.6 °C |
| 1955 | 10.0 °C |
| 1956 | 11.3 °C |
| 1957 | 11.7 °C |
| 1958 | 12.7 °C |
| 1959 | 11.6 °C |
| 1960 | 11.0 °C |
| 1961 | 11.8 °C |
| 1962 | 10.9 °C |
| 1963 | 11.8 °C |
| 1964 | 10.6 °C |
| 1965 | 10.8 °C |
| 1966 | 11.1 °C |
| 1967 | 11.8 °C |
| 1968 | 11.2 °C |
| 1969 | 11.4 °C |
| 1970 | 10.6 °C |
| 1971 | 10.7 °C |
| 1972 | 10.5 °C |
| 1973 | 10.8 °C |
| 1974 | 11.0 °C |
| 1975 | 10.5 °C |
| 1976 | 10.6 °C |
| 1977 | 11.0 °C |
| 1978 | 11.3 °C |
| 1979 | 11.7 °C |
| 1980 | 11.6 °C |
| 1981 | 11.7 °C |
| 1982 | 11.0 °C |
| 1983 | 11.8 °C |
| 1984 | 10.9 °C |
| 1985 | 11.1 °C |
| 1986 | 11.4 °C |
| 1987 | 11.6 °C |
| 1988 | 11.2 °C |
| 1989 | 12.1 °C |
| 1990 | 12.5 °C |
| 1991 | 11.7 °C |
| 1992 | 12.0 °C |
| 1994 | 12.4 °C |
| 1995 | 12.2 °C |
| 1996 | 11.5 °C |
| 1997 | 12.6 °C |
| 1998 | 12.3 °C |
| 1999 | 11.1 °C |
| 2000 | 11.4 °C |
| 2001 | 11.2 °C |
| 2002 | 11.7 °C |
| 2003 | 11.9 °C |
| 2004 | 12.8 °C |
| 2005 | 12.5 °C |
| 2006 | 12.0 °C |
| 2007 | 11.9 °C |
| 2008 | 11.1 °C |
| 2009 | 11.9 °C |
| 2010 | 11.5 °C |
| 2011 | 11.2 °C |
| 2012 | 11.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1945, Port McNeill's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 5 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Port Hardy A (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.