When to plant in Lovell, ME
Planting dates worked out from Lovell'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 9
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 3
1 year in 10 by Sep 16
Frost-free days
154
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bridgton 3 Nw · 13.2 km away · station 155 m, town 129 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 24 – Apr 7 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 13 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 18 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 28 |
| Peas | — | Apr 18 – May 16 | Jun 12 |
| Bush beans | — | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 1 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 26 – Jun 7 | Jun 25 |
| Beet | — | Apr 26 – Jun 7 | Jun 15 |
| Potato | — | Apr 26 – May 17 | Jul 5 |
| Kale | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 7 |
| Broccoli | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jun 17 |
| Cucumber | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 8 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 3 |
| Winter squash | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Aug 7 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 11 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jul 17 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 19 – Oct 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 18 – May 16 | May 26 |
| Basil | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 15 |
Lovell'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 |
|---|---|
| 1956 | May 25 |
| 1957 | May 17 |
| 1958 | May 3 |
| 1959 | May 17 |
| 1960 | May 3 |
| 1961 | May 31 |
| 1962 | May 13 |
| 1964 | May 3 |
| 1965 | May 3 |
| 1966 | May 12 |
| 1967 | May 11 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | May 27 |
| 1971 | May 6 |
| 1972 | May 26 |
| 1973 | May 9 |
| 1974 | May 12 |
| 1976 | May 21 |
| 1977 | May 8 |
| 1978 | May 6 |
| 1979 | May 8 |
| 1980 | Jun 12 |
| 1982 | May 22 |
| 1983 | May 19 |
| 1986 | May 10 |
| 1987 | May 20 |
| 1988 | May 9 |
| 1989 | May 10 |
| 1990 | Jun 6 |
| 1991 | May 19 |
| 1992 | May 13 |
| 1993 | Apr 30 |
| 1994 | May 28 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 9 |
| 1998 | May 1 |
| 1999 | May 12 |
| 2002 | May 23 |
| 2007 | May 14 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
| 2009 | May 19 |
| 2010 | May 12 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | Apr 30 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | Apr 21 |
| 2015 | May 2 |
| 2016 | May 9 |
| 2017 | May 10 |
| 2018 | Apr 25 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1956 | 133 |
| 1958 | 155 |
| 1959 | 149 |
| 1960 | 151 |
| 1961 | 136 |
| 1962 | 154 |
| 1964 | 155 |
| 1965 | 147 |
| 1966 | 137 |
| 1967 | 148 |
| 1968 | 150 |
| 1969 | 141 |
| 1971 | 159 |
| 1972 | 119 |
| 1973 | 135 |
| 1974 | 133 |
| 1976 | 126 |
| 1977 | 152 |
| 1978 | 130 |
| 1979 | 134 |
| 1980 | 96 |
| 1982 | 133 |
| 1986 | 149 |
| 1987 | 128 |
| 1988 | 150 |
| 1989 | 108 |
| 1990 | 75 |
| 1991 | 116 |
| 1992 | 122 |
| 1993 | 142 |
| 1994 | 69 |
| 1996 | 131 |
| 1998 | 156 |
| 2002 | 138 |
| 2007 | 153 |
| 2008 | 168 |
| 2009 | 129 |
| 2010 | 150 |
| 2011 | 166 |
| 2012 | 165 |
| 2013 | 161 |
| 2014 | 174 |
| 2015 | 155 |
| 2016 | 154 |
| 2017 | 160 |
| 2018 | 171 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1956 | 14.5 °C |
| 1957 | 16.5 °C |
| 1958 | 15.2 °C |
| 1959 | 16.5 °C |
| 1960 | 16.0 °C |
| 1961 | 16.2 °C |
| 1962 | 14.9 °C |
| 1963 | 15.9 °C |
| 1964 | 15.2 °C |
| 1965 | 15.6 °C |
| 1966 | 15.1 °C |
| 1967 | 15.5 °C |
| 1968 | 15.9 °C |
| 1969 | 15.6 °C |
| 1971 | 14.8 °C |
| 1972 | 13.9 °C |
| 1973 | 15.4 °C |
| 1974 | 14.2 °C |
| 1975 | 14.6 °C |
| 1976 | 14.4 °C |
| 1977 | 14.8 °C |
| 1978 | 14.2 °C |
| 1979 | 13.9 °C |
| 1980 | 13.5 °C |
| 1982 | 14.0 °C |
| 1983 | 14.6 °C |
| 1986 | 13.5 °C |
| 1987 | 14.3 °C |
| 1988 | 14.9 °C |
| 1989 | 14.4 °C |
| 1990 | 14.3 °C |
| 1991 | 15.0 °C |
| 1992 | 13.1 °C |
| 1993 | 14.0 °C |
| 1994 | 14.5 °C |
| 1996 | 14.0 °C |
| 1997 | 13.4 °C |
| 1998 | 15.0 °C |
| 2001 | 14.8 °C |
| 2002 | 15.0 °C |
| 2003 | 14.5 °C |
| 2004 | 14.6 °C |
| 2005 | 15.3 °C |
| 2007 | 14.5 °C |
| 2008 | 14.6 °C |
| 2009 | 14.5 °C |
| 2010 | 16.0 °C |
| 2011 | 15.3 °C |
| 2012 | 15.4 °C |
| 2013 | 14.8 °C |
| 2014 | 14.6 °C |
| 2015 | 15.1 °C |
| 2016 | 14.9 °C |
| 2017 | 14.4 °C |
| 2018 | 15.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1956, Lovell's last spring frost has come about 2 days 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 Bridgton 3 Nw (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.