When to plant in Lunenburg, NS
Planting dates worked out from Lunenburg's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jun 6
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 25
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 26
1 year in 10 by Sep 15
Frost-free days
121
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bridgewater · 18.7 km away · station 27 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 11 – Apr 25 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 31 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 5 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 6 |
| Peas | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | Jun 13 |
| Bush beans | — | May 30 – Jun 20 | Jul 19 |
| Carrot | — | May 4 – Jun 15 | Jul 3 |
| Beet | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 19 |
| Potato | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 13 |
| Kale | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 9 |
| Broccoli | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jun 26 |
| Cucumber | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 26 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Jul 21 |
| Winter squash | May 9 – May 16 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 25 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 30 – Jun 20 | Jul 29 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 26 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 12 – Oct 10 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | May 27 |
| Basil | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 6 – Jun 20 | Aug 2 |
Lunenburg'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 |
|---|---|
| 1962 | May 24 |
| 1963 | Jun 8 |
| 1964 | May 16 |
| 1965 | May 27 |
| 1966 | Jun 13 |
| 1967 | Jun 14 |
| 1968 | Jun 11 |
| 1969 | Jun 2 |
| 1970 | Jun 14 |
| 1971 | Jun 29 |
| 1972 | Jun 12 |
| 1973 | Jun 7 |
| 1974 | Jun 7 |
| 1975 | Jun 11 |
| 1976 | Jun 13 |
| 1977 | May 30 |
| 1978 | May 23 |
| 1979 | May 23 |
| 1980 | Jun 18 |
| 1981 | May 21 |
| 1982 | Jun 11 |
| 1983 | May 29 |
| 1984 | Jun 4 |
| 1985 | May 31 |
| 1986 | May 27 |
| 1987 | May 26 |
| 1988 | Jun 11 |
| 1989 | May 5 |
| 1990 | May 27 |
| 1991 | May 23 |
| 1992 | May 31 |
| 1993 | May 18 |
| 1994 | May 25 |
| 1995 | May 27 |
| 1996 | Jun 1 |
| 1997 | Jun 9 |
| 1998 | May 17 |
| 1999 | May 17 |
| 2000 | Jun 15 |
| 2001 | May 25 |
| 2002 | Jun 5 |
| 2003 | May 17 |
| 2004 | Jun 1 |
| 2005 | May 14 |
| 2006 | May 8 |
| 2009 | May 14 |
| 2013 | May 19 |
| 2014 | May 29 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 120 |
| 1963 | 97 |
| 1964 | 122 |
| 1965 | 96 |
| 1966 | 90 |
| 1967 | 84 |
| 1968 | 96 |
| 1969 | 104 |
| 1970 | 107 |
| 1971 | 87 |
| 1972 | 95 |
| 1973 | 102 |
| 1974 | 101 |
| 1975 | 82 |
| 1976 | 104 |
| 1977 | 117 |
| 1978 | 105 |
| 1979 | 120 |
| 1980 | 87 |
| 1981 | 137 |
| 1982 | 79 |
| 1983 | 119 |
| 1984 | 104 |
| 1985 | 103 |
| 1986 | 110 |
| 1987 | 121 |
| 1988 | 106 |
| 1989 | 142 |
| 1990 | 114 |
| 1991 | 121 |
| 1992 | 115 |
| 1993 | 124 |
| 1994 | 116 |
| 1995 | 120 |
| 1996 | 124 |
| 1997 | 107 |
| 1998 | 140 |
| 1999 | 143 |
| 2000 | 82 |
| 2001 | 113 |
| 2002 | 99 |
| 2003 | 139 |
| 2004 | 112 |
| 2005 | 160 |
| 2009 | 125 |
| 2013 | 142 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 13.0 °C |
| 1963 | 13.3 °C |
| 1964 | 13.1 °C |
| 1965 | 13.3 °C |
| 1966 | 12.5 °C |
| 1967 | 13.0 °C |
| 1968 | 13.3 °C |
| 1969 | 13.3 °C |
| 1970 | 13.4 °C |
| 1971 | 13.3 °C |
| 1972 | 13.0 °C |
| 1973 | 13.7 °C |
| 1974 | 12.7 °C |
| 1975 | 13.1 °C |
| 1976 | 14.1 °C |
| 1977 | 13.4 °C |
| 1978 | 13.1 °C |
| 1979 | 14.1 °C |
| 1980 | 13.3 °C |
| 1981 | 13.7 °C |
| 1982 | 13.0 °C |
| 1983 | 14.2 °C |
| 1984 | 14.3 °C |
| 1985 | 13.4 °C |
| 1986 | 12.9 °C |
| 1987 | 13.8 °C |
| 1988 | 14.1 °C |
| 1989 | 14.2 °C |
| 1990 | 14.3 °C |
| 1991 | 14.1 °C |
| 1992 | 13.2 °C |
| 1993 | 13.9 °C |
| 1994 | 14.8 °C |
| 1995 | 13.6 °C |
| 1996 | 13.8 °C |
| 1997 | 13.4 °C |
| 1998 | 14.5 °C |
| 1999 | 15.4 °C |
| 2000 | 13.5 °C |
| 2001 | 14.0 °C |
| 2002 | 13.5 °C |
| 2003 | 14.5 °C |
| 2004 | 14.1 °C |
| 2005 | 14.4 °C |
| 2008 | 15.0 °C |
| 2009 | 14.6 °C |
| 2013 | 15.4 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1962, Lunenburg's last spring frost has come about 4 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 7 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Bridgewater (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.