When to plant in Diamond Ridge, AK
Planting dates worked out from Diamond Ridge's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 30
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 15
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 29
1 year in 10 by Sep 17
Frost-free days
133
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Homer 8 Nw · 8.7 km away · station 329 m, town 324 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 Season likely too short |
May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Sep 9 |
| Sweet pepper Season likely too short |
May 7 – May 21 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Sep 14 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | May 14 – May 28 | Jun 23 |
| Peas | — | May 14 – Jun 11 | Jul 8 |
| Bush beans | — | Jun 28 – Jul 19 | Aug 17 |
| Carrot | — | May 29 – Jul 10 | Jul 28 |
| Beet | — | May 29 – Jul 10 | Jul 18 |
| Potato | — | May 29 – Jun 19 | Aug 7 |
| Kale | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 3 |
| Broccoli | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 13 |
| Cucumber Season likely too short |
Jun 18 – Jun 25 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Sep 4 |
| Summer squash and zucchini Season likely too short |
Jun 18 – Jun 25 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Aug 30 |
| Winter squash Season likely too short |
Jun 18 – Jun 25 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Oct 4 |
| Sweet corn Season likely too short |
— | Jun 28 – Jul 19 | Aug 27 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Aug 12 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 20 – Sep 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | May 14 – Jun 11 | Jun 21 |
| Basil Season likely too short |
Jun 4 – Jun 18 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 | Sep 11 |
Diamond Ridge'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 |
|---|---|
| 1980 | May 15 |
| 1981 | May 22 |
| 1982 | May 22 |
| 1983 | Jun 5 |
| 1984 | May 31 |
| 1985 | Jun 17 |
| 1986 | Jun 6 |
| 1987 | Jun 18 |
| 1988 | May 18 |
| 1989 | May 19 |
| 1990 | May 22 |
| 1991 | Jun 9 |
| 1992 | May 17 |
| 1993 | May 2 |
| 1994 | May 17 |
| 1995 | Jun 2 |
| 1997 | May 18 |
| 1998 | May 24 |
| 1999 | May 28 |
| 2000 | May 31 |
| 2001 | May 22 |
| 2002 | May 11 |
| 2003 | May 20 |
| 2004 | Apr 21 |
| 2005 | Apr 18 |
| 2006 | May 18 |
| 2007 | May 18 |
| 2008 | May 23 |
| 2009 | May 19 |
| 2010 | May 29 |
| 2011 | May 11 |
| 2013 | May 20 |
| 2015 | May 4 |
| 2016 | Apr 21 |
| 2017 | May 2 |
| 2018 | May 15 |
| 2019 | May 4 |
| 2020 | May 2 |
| 2021 | May 16 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 122 |
| 1982 | 123 |
| 1983 | 101 |
| 1984 | 91 |
| 1985 | 91 |
| 1986 | 109 |
| 1987 | 73 |
| 1988 | 126 |
| 1989 | 142 |
| 1990 | 125 |
| 1991 | 118 |
| 1992 | 115 |
| 1993 | 137 |
| 1994 | 132 |
| 1995 | 124 |
| 1997 | 136 |
| 1998 | 126 |
| 1999 | 120 |
| 2000 | 109 |
| 2001 | 141 |
| 2003 | 71 |
| 2005 | 167 |
| 2006 | 134 |
| 2007 | 140 |
| 2008 | 129 |
| 2009 | 126 |
| 2010 | 119 |
| 2011 | 141 |
| 2013 | 122 |
| 2016 | 176 |
| 2017 | 165 |
| 2018 | 165 |
| 2019 | 154 |
| 2020 | 165 |
| 2021 | 127 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 8.8 °C |
| 1980 | 7.6 °C |
| 1981 | 8.3 °C |
| 1982 | 6.8 °C |
| 1983 | 8.0 °C |
| 1984 | 8.2 °C |
| 1985 | 6.3 °C |
| 1986 | 6.8 °C |
| 1987 | 7.6 °C |
| 1988 | 7.5 °C |
| 1989 | 8.7 °C |
| 1990 | 8.9 °C |
| 1991 | 7.9 °C |
| 1992 | 6.9 °C |
| 1993 | 8.9 °C |
| 1994 | 8.0 °C |
| 1995 | 8.4 °C |
| 1996 | 7.8 °C |
| 1997 | 8.9 °C |
| 1998 | 7.0 °C |
| 1999 | 7.2 °C |
| 2000 | 7.5 °C |
| 2001 | 8.6 °C |
| 2003 | 9.1 °C |
| 2004 | 9.9 °C |
| 2005 | 9.9 °C |
| 2006 | 8.2 °C |
| 2007 | 8.5 °C |
| 2008 | 7.0 °C |
| 2009 | 8.2 °C |
| 2010 | 7.6 °C |
| 2011 | 7.5 °C |
| 2013 | 7.4 °C |
| 2014 | 8.8 °C |
| 2015 | 8.4 °C |
| 2016 | 9.9 °C |
| 2017 | 8.4 °C |
| 2018 | 8.7 °C |
| 2019 | 9.7 °C |
| 2020 | 9.1 °C |
| 2021 | 7.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1980, Diamond Ridge'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 Homer 8 Nw (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.