When to plant in North Pole, AK
Planting dates worked out from North Pole's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jun 12
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 26
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Aug 25
1 year in 10 by Aug 11
Frost-free days
90
median, 1991–2020
Station used: N Pole · 1.4 km away · station 145 m, town 147 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 17 – May 1 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Aug 6 |
| Sweet pepper | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Aug 11 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 13 |
| Peas | — | May 4 – Jun 1 | Jun 28 |
| Bush beans | — | Jun 5 – Jun 26 | Jul 25 |
| Carrot | — | May 12 – Jun 23 | Jul 11 |
| Beet | — | May 12 – Jun 23 | Jul 1 |
| Potato | — | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 21 |
| Kale | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 23 |
| Broccoli | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 3 |
| Cucumber | May 15 – May 22 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Aug 1 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 15 – May 22 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Jul 27 |
| Winter squash Season likely too short |
May 15 – May 22 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Aug 31 |
| Sweet corn | — | Jun 5 – Jun 26 | Aug 4 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | May 4 – May 25 | Aug 2 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 11 – Sep 8 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | May 4 – Jun 1 | Jun 11 |
| Basil | May 1 – May 15 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | Aug 8 |
North Pole'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 |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Jun 3 |
| 1970 | Jun 9 |
| 1971 | Jul 1 |
| 1972 | Jun 8 |
| 1973 | May 31 |
| 1974 | Jun 8 |
| 1975 | Jun 12 |
| 1976 | May 25 |
| 1977 | May 17 |
| 1978 | Jun 8 |
| 1979 | Jun 15 |
| 1980 | Jun 8 |
| 1981 | May 22 |
| 1982 | Jun 4 |
| 1983 | Jun 18 |
| 1984 | May 31 |
| 1985 | May 22 |
| 1986 | May 27 |
| 1987 | May 29 |
| 1988 | May 17 |
| 1989 | Jun 2 |
| 1990 | May 23 |
| 1991 | May 24 |
| 1992 | May 23 |
| 1993 | May 12 |
| 1994 | May 25 |
| 1995 | May 22 |
| 1996 | Jun 6 |
| 1997 | Jun 1 |
| 1998 | May 24 |
| 1999 | Jun 5 |
| 2000 | May 29 |
| 2001 | May 25 |
| 2002 | Jun 22 |
| 2003 | May 24 |
| 2004 | May 21 |
| 2005 | May 7 |
| 2006 | Jun 6 |
| 2009 | May 18 |
| 2010 | May 17 |
| 2011 | May 16 |
| 2012 | May 17 |
| 2013 | May 23 |
| 2014 | Jun 12 |
| 2015 | Jun 13 |
| 2016 | May 19 |
| 2017 | Jun 1 |
| 2018 | Jun 13 |
| 2019 | May 7 |
| 2020 | May 17 |
| 2021 | May 24 |
| 2022 | May 14 |
| 2023 | May 14 |
| 2024 | May 17 |
| 2025 | May 17 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 74 |
| 1971 | 58 |
| 1972 | 77 |
| 1973 | 76 |
| 1974 | 73 |
| 1975 | 59 |
| 1976 | 87 |
| 1977 | 98 |
| 1978 | 70 |
| 1979 | 77 |
| 1980 | 53 |
| 1981 | 92 |
| 1982 | 83 |
| 1983 | 61 |
| 1984 | 72 |
| 1985 | 88 |
| 1986 | 78 |
| 1987 | 92 |
| 1988 | 99 |
| 1989 | 93 |
| 1990 | 107 |
| 1991 | 88 |
| 1992 | 97 |
| 1993 | 104 |
| 1994 | 89 |
| 1995 | 104 |
| 1996 | 78 |
| 1997 | 79 |
| 1998 | 95 |
| 1999 | 83 |
| 2000 | 79 |
| 2001 | 98 |
| 2002 | 53 |
| 2003 | 76 |
| 2004 | 99 |
| 2005 | 103 |
| 2006 | 63 |
| 2009 | 84 |
| 2010 | 117 |
| 2011 | 111 |
| 2012 | 113 |
| 2014 | 78 |
| 2015 | 77 |
| 2016 | 105 |
| 2017 | 90 |
| 2018 | 79 |
| 2019 | 109 |
| 2020 | 111 |
| 2021 | 95 |
| 2022 | 119 |
| 2023 | 130 |
| 2024 | 132 |
| 2025 | 123 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.5 °C |
| 1971 | 8.6 °C |
| 1972 | 8.3 °C |
| 1973 | 9.5 °C |
| 1974 | 9.5 °C |
| 1975 | 8.3 °C |
| 1976 | 9.5 °C |
| 1977 | 9.5 °C |
| 1978 | 9.4 °C |
| 1979 | 10.0 °C |
| 1981 | 9.0 °C |
| 1982 | 7.8 °C |
| 1983 | 8.8 °C |
| 1984 | 9.0 °C |
| 1985 | 7.7 °C |
| 1986 | 8.1 °C |
| 1987 | 10.2 °C |
| 1988 | 10.5 °C |
| 1989 | 10.5 °C |
| 1990 | 10.8 °C |
| 1991 | 9.9 °C |
| 1992 | 7.5 °C |
| 1993 | 11.0 °C |
| 1994 | 10.4 °C |
| 1995 | 11.8 °C |
| 1996 | 9.2 °C |
| 1997 | 11.1 °C |
| 1998 | 10.7 °C |
| 1999 | 10.2 °C |
| 2000 | 8.8 °C |
| 2001 | 10.1 °C |
| 2002 | 9.3 °C |
| 2003 | 8.8 °C |
| 2004 | 11.4 °C |
| 2005 | 10.3 °C |
| 2006 | 8.2 °C |
| 2009 | 10.3 °C |
| 2010 | 11.3 °C |
| 2011 | 10.3 °C |
| 2012 | 10.5 °C |
| 2014 | 9.6 °C |
| 2015 | 9.9 °C |
| 2016 | 11.1 °C |
| 2017 | 10.9 °C |
| 2018 | 9.4 °C |
| 2019 | 11.5 °C |
| 2020 | 10.4 °C |
| 2021 | 9.2 °C |
| 2022 | 10.2 °C |
| 2023 | 9.9 °C |
| 2024 | 10.5 °C |
| 2025 | 10.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1969, North Pole's last spring frost has come about 3 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 N Pole (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.