When to plant in Fayette, ME
Planting dates worked out from Fayette's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 9
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 27
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 1
Frost-free days
168
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Augusta State Ap · 21.5 km away · station 106 m, town 103 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 17 – Mar 31 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 6 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 11 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 22 |
| Peas | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | Jun 6 |
| Bush beans | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jun 26 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 22 – Jun 3 | Jun 21 |
| Beet | — | Apr 22 – Jun 3 | Jun 11 |
| Potato | — | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 1 |
| Kale | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 1 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 11 |
| Cucumber | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 1 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jun 26 |
| Winter squash | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 31 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 6 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 11 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 30 – Oct 28 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | May 20 |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 8 |
Fayette'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 |
|---|---|
| 1949 | Apr 29 |
| 1950 | May 8 |
| 1951 | May 4 |
| 1952 | May 1 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | Apr 16 |
| 1955 | Apr 21 |
| 1956 | May 26 |
| 1957 | Apr 16 |
| 1958 | May 3 |
| 1959 | Apr 28 |
| 1960 | Apr 20 |
| 1961 | May 3 |
| 1962 | Apr 26 |
| 1963 | May 12 |
| 1964 | Apr 30 |
| 1965 | Apr 25 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 7 |
| 1968 | Apr 12 |
| 1969 | May 27 |
| 1970 | Apr 20 |
| 1971 | Apr 17 |
| 1972 | Apr 27 |
| 1973 | Apr 14 |
| 1974 | May 5 |
| 1975 | Apr 30 |
| 1976 | Apr 25 |
| 1977 | Apr 29 |
| 1978 | Apr 18 |
| 1979 | Apr 21 |
| 1980 | Apr 22 |
| 1981 | Apr 22 |
| 1982 | Apr 23 |
| 1983 | Apr 23 |
| 1984 | Apr 22 |
| 1985 | May 4 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | May 2 |
| 1988 | Apr 21 |
| 1989 | Apr 29 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 20 |
| 1992 | May 26 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 23 |
| 1995 | May 7 |
| 1996 | Apr 29 |
| 1997 | May 9 |
| 1998 | Apr 27 |
| 1999 | Apr 24 |
| 2000 | Apr 18 |
| 2001 | Apr 27 |
| 2002 | Apr 29 |
| 2003 | Apr 20 |
| 2004 | Apr 29 |
| 2005 | Apr 26 |
| 2006 | Apr 28 |
| 2007 | Apr 15 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
| 2009 | Apr 20 |
| 2010 | May 12 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | Apr 30 |
| 2013 | Apr 23 |
| 2014 | Apr 20 |
| 2015 | Apr 10 |
| 2016 | Apr 30 |
| 2017 | Apr 19 |
| 2018 | Apr 23 |
| 2019 | Apr 18 |
| 2020 | May 9 |
| 2021 | Apr 22 |
| 2022 | Apr 21 |
| 2023 | Apr 10 |
| 2024 | Apr 27 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1949 | 178 |
| 1950 | 136 |
| 1951 | 161 |
| 1952 | 162 |
| 1953 | 169 |
| 1954 | 173 |
| 1955 | 145 |
| 1956 | 117 |
| 1957 | 187 |
| 1958 | 155 |
| 1959 | 168 |
| 1960 | 183 |
| 1961 | 164 |
| 1962 | 148 |
| 1963 | 134 |
| 1964 | 142 |
| 1965 | 154 |
| 1966 | 171 |
| 1967 | 153 |
| 1968 | 201 |
| 1969 | 141 |
| 1970 | 179 |
| 1971 | 196 |
| 1972 | 166 |
| 1973 | 160 |
| 1974 | 141 |
| 1975 | 157 |
| 1976 | 169 |
| 1977 | 161 |
| 1978 | 180 |
| 1979 | 170 |
| 1980 | 159 |
| 1981 | 171 |
| 1982 | 170 |
| 1983 | 170 |
| 1984 | 166 |
| 1985 | 166 |
| 1986 | 155 |
| 1987 | 161 |
| 1988 | 168 |
| 1989 | 163 |
| 1990 | 184 |
| 1991 | 177 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 171 |
| 1995 | 144 |
| 1996 | 157 |
| 1997 | 162 |
| 1998 | 162 |
| 1999 | 166 |
| 2000 | 163 |
| 2001 | 174 |
| 2002 | 162 |
| 2003 | 182 |
| 2004 | 158 |
| 2005 | 178 |
| 2006 | 161 |
| 2007 | 196 |
| 2008 | 169 |
| 2009 | 177 |
| 2010 | 164 |
| 2011 | 187 |
| 2012 | 165 |
| 2013 | 185 |
| 2014 | 195 |
| 2015 | 190 |
| 2016 | 167 |
| 2017 | 201 |
| 2018 | 177 |
| 2019 | 170 |
| 2020 | 155 |
| 2021 | 194 |
| 2022 | 172 |
| 2023 | 203 |
| 2024 | 172 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1949 | 16.4 °C |
| 1950 | 14.9 °C |
| 1951 | 15.6 °C |
| 1952 | 16.4 °C |
| 1953 | 15.8 °C |
| 1954 | 14.3 °C |
| 1955 | 16.1 °C |
| 1956 | 13.5 °C |
| 1957 | 15.5 °C |
| 1958 | 14.5 °C |
| 1959 | 15.8 °C |
| 1960 | 15.7 °C |
| 1961 | 15.3 °C |
| 1962 | 14.2 °C |
| 1963 | 14.9 °C |
| 1964 | 14.6 °C |
| 1965 | 15.2 °C |
| 1966 | 14.8 °C |
| 1967 | 14.6 °C |
| 1968 | 14.5 °C |
| 1969 | 15.2 °C |
| 1970 | 15.7 °C |
| 1971 | 17.0 °C |
| 1972 | 15.9 °C |
| 1973 | 16.7 °C |
| 1974 | 14.4 °C |
| 1975 | 15.4 °C |
| 1976 | 15.8 °C |
| 1977 | 15.4 °C |
| 1978 | 15.8 °C |
| 1979 | 15.6 °C |
| 1980 | 16.2 °C |
| 1981 | 15.9 °C |
| 1982 | 15.2 °C |
| 1983 | 16.5 °C |
| 1984 | 15.6 °C |
| 1985 | 15.3 °C |
| 1986 | 15.1 °C |
| 1987 | 15.5 °C |
| 1988 | 16.0 °C |
| 1989 | 15.4 °C |
| 1990 | 15.8 °C |
| 1991 | 16.6 °C |
| 1992 | 14.9 °C |
| 1993 | 15.9 °C |
| 1994 | 15.6 °C |
| 1995 | 15.3 °C |
| 1996 | 15.3 °C |
| 1997 | 15.0 °C |
| 1998 | 16.4 °C |
| 1999 | 17.9 °C |
| 2000 | 15.6 °C |
| 2001 | 16.3 °C |
| 2002 | 15.8 °C |
| 2003 | 15.4 °C |
| 2004 | 15.1 °C |
| 2005 | 15.8 °C |
| 2006 | 16.1 °C |
| 2007 | 15.6 °C |
| 2008 | 15.8 °C |
| 2009 | 15.2 °C |
| 2010 | 17.1 °C |
| 2011 | 16.0 °C |
| 2012 | 16.2 °C |
| 2013 | 15.8 °C |
| 2014 | 15.6 °C |
| 2015 | 16.2 °C |
| 2016 | 16.2 °C |
| 2017 | 16.1 °C |
| 2018 | 16.4 °C |
| 2019 | 15.6 °C |
| 2020 | 16.1 °C |
| 2021 | 16.9 °C |
| 2022 | 17.2 °C |
| 2023 | 17.0 °C |
| 2024 | 17.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1949, Fayette's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Augusta State Ap (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.