When to plant in Lake Echo, NS
Planting dates worked out from Lake Echo's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 17
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 4
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 21
1 year in 10 by Oct 10
Frost-free days
171
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Halifax Stanfield Int'l A · 18.8 km away · station 145 m, town 18 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 4 – Apr 18 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 24 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 29 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jun 2 |
| Peas | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | Jun 17 |
| Bush beans | — | May 24 – Jun 14 | Jul 13 |
| Carrot | — | May 5 – Jun 16 | Jul 4 |
| Beet | — | May 5 – Jun 16 | Jun 24 |
| Potato | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 14 |
| Kale | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jun 12 |
| Broccoli | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jun 22 |
| Cucumber | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 19 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 14 |
| Winter squash | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Aug 18 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 24 – Jun 14 | Jul 23 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 22 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 28 – Oct 26 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | May 31 |
| Basil | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 26 |
Lake Echo'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 |
|---|---|
| 1953 | May 27 |
| 1961 | May 19 |
| 1962 | May 12 |
| 1963 | May 13 |
| 1964 | May 16 |
| 1965 | May 7 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 13 |
| 1968 | May 28 |
| 1969 | May 6 |
| 1970 | May 25 |
| 1971 | May 2 |
| 1972 | May 26 |
| 1973 | May 8 |
| 1974 | May 30 |
| 1975 | May 10 |
| 1976 | Apr 25 |
| 1977 | May 9 |
| 1978 | May 8 |
| 1979 | Apr 26 |
| 1980 | Apr 29 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 2 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | Apr 29 |
| 1985 | May 15 |
| 1986 | May 27 |
| 1987 | May 2 |
| 1988 | May 10 |
| 1989 | Apr 27 |
| 1990 | Apr 29 |
| 1991 | May 23 |
| 1992 | May 17 |
| 1993 | May 11 |
| 1994 | Apr 29 |
| 1995 | May 7 |
| 1996 | May 9 |
| 1997 | Apr 30 |
| 1998 | Apr 29 |
| 1999 | Apr 24 |
| 2000 | Apr 26 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | Apr 30 |
| 2003 | May 4 |
| 2004 | Apr 29 |
| 2005 | May 14 |
| 2006 | Apr 30 |
| 2007 | May 24 |
| 2008 | Apr 28 |
| 2009 | Apr 30 |
| 2010 | Apr 18 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | May 1 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 134 |
| 1961 | 149 |
| 1962 | 169 |
| 1963 | 123 |
| 1964 | 147 |
| 1965 | 146 |
| 1966 | 171 |
| 1967 | 147 |
| 1968 | 156 |
| 1969 | 168 |
| 1970 | 146 |
| 1971 | 168 |
| 1972 | 137 |
| 1973 | 166 |
| 1974 | 131 |
| 1975 | 151 |
| 1976 | 176 |
| 1977 | 166 |
| 1978 | 161 |
| 1979 | 172 |
| 1980 | 152 |
| 1981 | 146 |
| 1982 | 173 |
| 1983 | 153 |
| 1984 | 158 |
| 1985 | 150 |
| 1986 | 136 |
| 1987 | 164 |
| 1988 | 149 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 174 |
| 1991 | 150 |
| 1992 | 153 |
| 1993 | 151 |
| 1994 | 165 |
| 1995 | 176 |
| 1996 | 148 |
| 1997 | 165 |
| 1998 | 179 |
| 1999 | 177 |
| 2000 | 171 |
| 2001 | 175 |
| 2002 | 167 |
| 2003 | 182 |
| 2004 | 159 |
| 2005 | 177 |
| 2006 | 186 |
| 2007 | 157 |
| 2008 | 172 |
| 2009 | 166 |
| 2010 | 184 |
| 2011 | 188 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 13.5 °C |
| 1961 | 13.4 °C |
| 1962 | 12.2 °C |
| 1963 | 12.2 °C |
| 1964 | 12.1 °C |
| 1965 | 12.3 °C |
| 1966 | 12.6 °C |
| 1967 | 12.7 °C |
| 1968 | 13.3 °C |
| 1969 | 13.1 °C |
| 1970 | 13.0 °C |
| 1971 | 13.2 °C |
| 1972 | 12.6 °C |
| 1973 | 13.3 °C |
| 1974 | 12.5 °C |
| 1975 | 13.1 °C |
| 1976 | 13.8 °C |
| 1977 | 12.9 °C |
| 1978 | 12.7 °C |
| 1979 | 13.4 °C |
| 1980 | 12.9 °C |
| 1981 | 13.4 °C |
| 1982 | 12.8 °C |
| 1983 | 13.9 °C |
| 1984 | 13.8 °C |
| 1985 | 13.0 °C |
| 1986 | 12.5 °C |
| 1987 | 13.4 °C |
| 1988 | 13.1 °C |
| 1989 | 13.8 °C |
| 1990 | 13.7 °C |
| 1991 | 13.7 °C |
| 1992 | 12.9 °C |
| 1993 | 13.2 °C |
| 1994 | 14.0 °C |
| 1995 | 13.0 °C |
| 1996 | 13.1 °C |
| 1997 | 12.8 °C |
| 1998 | 14.2 °C |
| 1999 | 15.4 °C |
| 2000 | 13.6 °C |
| 2001 | 14.2 °C |
| 2002 | 13.4 °C |
| 2003 | 14.0 °C |
| 2004 | 13.3 °C |
| 2005 | 13.9 °C |
| 2006 | 14.3 °C |
| 2007 | 13.3 °C |
| 2008 | 14.0 °C |
| 2009 | 13.9 °C |
| 2010 | 14.9 °C |
| 2011 | 13.8 °C |
| 2012 | 14.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1953, Lake Echo's last spring frost has come about 3 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 Halifax Stanfield Int'l A (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.