When to plant in Middle Sackville, NS
Planting dates worked out from Middle Sackville's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 19
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 13
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 3
Frost-free days
154
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Pockwock Lake · 10.9 km away · station 165 m, town 96 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 20 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 3 |
| Peas | — | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 18 |
| Bush beans | — | May 24 – Jun 14 | Jul 13 |
| Carrot | — | May 6 – Jun 17 | Jul 5 |
| Beet | — | May 6 – Jun 17 | Jun 25 |
| Potato | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jul 15 |
| Kale | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – May 15 | Jun 13 |
| Broccoli | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jun 23 |
| 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 24 – May 15 | Jul 23 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 29 – Oct 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 1 |
| Basil | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 26 |
Middle Sackville'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 6 |
| 1980 | May 6 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 2 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | Apr 26 |
| 1985 | May 15 |
| 1986 | May 27 |
| 1987 | May 20 |
| 1988 | May 10 |
| 1989 | Apr 27 |
| 1990 | May 24 |
| 1991 | May 23 |
| 1992 | May 12 |
| 1993 | May 11 |
| 1994 | May 1 |
| 1995 | May 7 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | May 10 |
| 1998 | May 15 |
| 1999 | May 12 |
| 2000 | May 14 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 14 |
| 2003 | May 17 |
| 2004 | May 17 |
| 2017 | May 8 |
| 2018 | Jun 4 |
| 2019 | May 3 |
| 2026 | Apr 28 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 163 |
| 1980 | 145 |
| 1981 | 146 |
| 1982 | 173 |
| 1983 | 154 |
| 1984 | 161 |
| 1985 | 149 |
| 1986 | 133 |
| 1987 | 146 |
| 1988 | 149 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 149 |
| 1991 | 150 |
| 1992 | 141 |
| 1993 | 152 |
| 1994 | 163 |
| 1995 | 176 |
| 1996 | 143 |
| 1997 | 164 |
| 1998 | 160 |
| 1999 | 148 |
| 2000 | 138 |
| 2001 | 165 |
| 2002 | 159 |
| 2003 | 155 |
| 2004 | 141 |
| 2017 | 178 |
| 2018 | 131 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 13.4 °C |
| 1980 | 12.8 °C |
| 1981 | 13.3 °C |
| 1982 | 12.7 °C |
| 1983 | 13.9 °C |
| 1984 | 13.8 °C |
| 1985 | 12.6 °C |
| 1986 | 12.3 °C |
| 1987 | 13.4 °C |
| 1988 | 13.0 °C |
| 1989 | 13.8 °C |
| 1990 | 13.7 °C |
| 1991 | 13.6 °C |
| 1992 | 12.8 °C |
| 1993 | 13.3 °C |
| 1994 | 13.7 °C |
| 1995 | 13.1 °C |
| 1996 | 13.0 °C |
| 1997 | 12.9 °C |
| 1999 | 15.3 °C |
| 2000 | 13.3 °C |
| 2002 | 13.6 °C |
| 2003 | 13.9 °C |
| 2004 | 13.1 °C |
| 2017 | 14.5 °C |
| 2018 | 13.7 °C |
| 2026 | 14.5 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1979, Middle Sackville's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Pockwock Lake (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.