When to plant in Mitchellville, MD
Planting dates worked out from Mitchellville's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 18
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 26
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 14
1 year in 10 by Oct 2
Frost-free days
176
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Glenn Dale Bell Stn · 5.4 km away · station 46 m, town 32 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 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 12 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 17 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 22 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 8 |
| Peas | — | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | May 9 |
| Bush beans | — | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jun 30 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 5 – May 17 | Jun 4 |
| Beet | — | Mar 29 – May 10 | May 18 |
| Potato | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jun 14 |
| Kale | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | May 28 |
| Cucumber | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 7 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 2 |
| Winter squash | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 6 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jul 10 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Jun 27 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 30 – Oct 28 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Apr 22 |
| Basil | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 14 |
Mitchellville'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 |
|---|---|
| 1921 | Apr 12 |
| 1922 | May 1 |
| 1923 | May 11 |
| 1924 | May 5 |
| 1925 | May 27 |
| 1926 | May 5 |
| 1927 | May 1 |
| 1928 | May 14 |
| 1929 | May 17 |
| 1930 | Jun 1 |
| 1931 | May 5 |
| 1932 | May 3 |
| 1933 | Apr 28 |
| 1934 | Apr 29 |
| 1935 | Apr 26 |
| 1936 | Apr 27 |
| 1937 | May 1 |
| 1938 | Apr 25 |
| 1939 | May 15 |
| 1940 | Apr 29 |
| 1941 | May 13 |
| 1942 | Apr 22 |
| 1943 | May 5 |
| 1944 | Apr 29 |
| 1945 | May 2 |
| 1946 | Apr 28 |
| 1947 | May 11 |
| 1948 | Apr 23 |
| 1949 | Apr 29 |
| 1950 | May 9 |
| 1951 | Apr 24 |
| 1952 | Apr 10 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | May 5 |
| 1955 | Apr 8 |
| 1956 | May 25 |
| 1957 | May 5 |
| 1958 | Apr 10 |
| 1959 | Apr 14 |
| 1960 | May 2 |
| 1961 | May 5 |
| 1962 | May 10 |
| 1963 | May 3 |
| 1964 | Apr 27 |
| 1965 | Apr 17 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | Apr 29 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | Apr 25 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 1 |
| 1972 | May 11 |
| 1973 | Apr 16 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 23 |
| 1976 | Apr 14 |
| 1977 | Apr 30 |
| 1978 | May 2 |
| 1979 | May 2 |
| 1980 | Apr 18 |
| 1981 | Apr 26 |
| 1982 | Apr 29 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | May 4 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | Apr 29 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | Apr 24 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 12 |
| 1992 | May 21 |
| 1993 | Apr 29 |
| 1994 | Apr 23 |
| 1995 | Apr 6 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | May 8 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 25 |
| 2000 | Apr 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 29 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Mar 31 |
| 2004 | Apr 16 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 10 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1921 | 183 |
| 1922 | 170 |
| 1923 | 149 |
| 1924 | 157 |
| 1925 | 136 |
| 1926 | 156 |
| 1927 | 166 |
| 1928 | 133 |
| 1929 | 140 |
| 1930 | 121 |
| 1931 | 160 |
| 1932 | 161 |
| 1933 | 168 |
| 1934 | 166 |
| 1935 | 156 |
| 1936 | 180 |
| 1937 | 160 |
| 1938 | 165 |
| 1939 | 152 |
| 1940 | 150 |
| 1941 | 151 |
| 1942 | 159 |
| 1943 | 152 |
| 1944 | 169 |
| 1945 | 154 |
| 1946 | 169 |
| 1947 | 138 |
| 1948 | 175 |
| 1949 | 180 |
| 1950 | 164 |
| 1951 | 157 |
| 1952 | 176 |
| 1953 | 168 |
| 1954 | 155 |
| 1955 | 197 |
| 1956 | 118 |
| 1957 | 159 |
| 1958 | 178 |
| 1959 | 184 |
| 1960 | 171 |
| 1961 | 152 |
| 1962 | 133 |
| 1963 | 143 |
| 1964 | 161 |
| 1965 | 170 |
| 1966 | 148 |
| 1967 | 166 |
| 1968 | 149 |
| 1969 | 175 |
| 1970 | 162 |
| 1971 | 187 |
| 1972 | 151 |
| 1973 | 184 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 190 |
| 1976 | 180 |
| 1977 | 170 |
| 1978 | 149 |
| 1979 | 160 |
| 1980 | 178 |
| 1981 | 169 |
| 1982 | 170 |
| 1983 | 157 |
| 1984 | 169 |
| 1985 | 174 |
| 1986 | 164 |
| 1987 | 162 |
| 1989 | 166 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 178 |
| 1992 | 138 |
| 1993 | 154 |
| 1994 | 165 |
| 1995 | 206 |
| 1996 | 143 |
| 1997 | 146 |
| 1998 | 177 |
| 1999 | 182 |
| 2000 | 176 |
| 2001 | 161 |
| 2002 | 162 |
| 2003 | 185 |
| 2004 | 184 |
| 2005 | 176 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1921 | 20.9 °C |
| 1922 | 20.0 °C |
| 1923 | 19.4 °C |
| 1924 | 18.3 °C |
| 1925 | 20.0 °C |
| 1926 | 19.4 °C |
| 1927 | 18.0 °C |
| 1928 | 18.7 °C |
| 1929 | 19.6 °C |
| 1930 | 20.6 °C |
| 1931 | 20.2 °C |
| 1932 | 19.4 °C |
| 1933 | 20.3 °C |
| 1934 | 20.4 °C |
| 1935 | 19.0 °C |
| 1936 | 20.1 °C |
| 1937 | 19.7 °C |
| 1938 | 19.9 °C |
| 1939 | 20.1 °C |
| 1940 | 18.8 °C |
| 1941 | 20.1 °C |
| 1942 | 20.5 °C |
| 1943 | 20.3 °C |
| 1944 | 20.5 °C |
| 1945 | 20.2 °C |
| 1946 | 19.3 °C |
| 1947 | 20.0 °C |
| 1948 | 19.9 °C |
| 1949 | 20.1 °C |
| 1950 | 18.9 °C |
| 1951 | 19.7 °C |
| 1952 | 20.1 °C |
| 1953 | 20.4 °C |
| 1954 | 20.3 °C |
| 1955 | 20.8 °C |
| 1956 | 19.4 °C |
| 1957 | 20.8 °C |
| 1958 | 19.6 °C |
| 1959 | 20.9 °C |
| 1960 | 20.0 °C |
| 1961 | 19.4 °C |
| 1962 | 19.8 °C |
| 1963 | 19.4 °C |
| 1964 | 19.9 °C |
| 1965 | 20.2 °C |
| 1966 | 19.6 °C |
| 1967 | 19.0 °C |
| 1968 | 19.4 °C |
| 1969 | 20.3 °C |
| 1970 | 20.5 °C |
| 1971 | 19.6 °C |
| 1972 | 19.4 °C |
| 1973 | 20.4 °C |
| 1974 | 19.9 °C |
| 1975 | 19.8 °C |
| 1976 | 19.7 °C |
| 1977 | 20.2 °C |
| 1978 | 19.6 °C |
| 1979 | 19.3 °C |
| 1980 | 20.4 °C |
| 1981 | 19.9 °C |
| 1982 | 19.0 °C |
| 1983 | 19.6 °C |
| 1984 | 19.3 °C |
| 1985 | 20.1 °C |
| 1986 | 20.1 °C |
| 1987 | 20.5 °C |
| 1989 | 19.6 °C |
| 1990 | 19.6 °C |
| 1991 | 21.4 °C |
| 1992 | 18.9 °C |
| 1993 | 20.0 °C |
| 1994 | 21.1 °C |
| 1995 | 21.6 °C |
| 1996 | 20.2 °C |
| 1998 | 21.3 °C |
| 1999 | 20.1 °C |
| 2000 | 19.4 °C |
| 2001 | 19.6 °C |
| 2002 | 21.0 °C |
| 2003 | 19.7 °C |
| 2004 | 20.6 °C |
| 2005 | 20.1 °C |
| 2006 | 20.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1921, Mitchellville's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Glenn Dale Bell Stn (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.