When to plant in Alpena, MI
Planting dates worked out from Alpena's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 13
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 29
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 14
1 year in 10 by Oct 1
Frost-free days
167
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Alpena Wwtp · 0.4 km away · station 180 m, town 180 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 25 – Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 14 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 19 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 21 – May 5 | May 31 |
| Peas | — | Apr 21 – May 19 | Jun 15 |
| Bush beans | — | May 15 – Jun 5 | Jul 4 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 29 |
| Beet | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 19 |
| Potato | — | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 9 |
| Kale | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jun 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 20 |
| Cucumber | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 9 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 4 |
| Winter squash | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 8 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 15 – Jun 5 | Jul 14 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jul 20 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 28 – Oct 26 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 21 – May 19 | May 29 |
| Basil | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 16 |
Alpena'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 |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Apr 17 |
| 1949 | Apr 25 |
| 1950 | May 8 |
| 1951 | Apr 23 |
| 1952 | Apr 24 |
| 1953 | Apr 29 |
| 1954 | May 8 |
| 1955 | May 9 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | May 17 |
| 1958 | May 6 |
| 1959 | May 16 |
| 1960 | Apr 28 |
| 1961 | May 27 |
| 1962 | May 10 |
| 1963 | May 23 |
| 1964 | Apr 24 |
| 1966 | May 10 |
| 1967 | May 22 |
| 1968 | May 6 |
| 1969 | May 26 |
| 1970 | May 6 |
| 1971 | May 4 |
| 1972 | May 8 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 7 |
| 1975 | Apr 26 |
| 1976 | May 12 |
| 1977 | May 7 |
| 1978 | May 4 |
| 1979 | May 5 |
| 1980 | Apr 24 |
| 1981 | Apr 21 |
| 1982 | Apr 28 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1984 | Apr 21 |
| 1986 | Apr 23 |
| 1987 | Apr 25 |
| 1988 | May 14 |
| 1990 | May 12 |
| 1991 | Apr 22 |
| 1993 | Apr 25 |
| 1995 | Apr 24 |
| 1996 | May 12 |
| 1998 | Apr 11 |
| 1999 | Apr 24 |
| 2001 | Apr 18 |
| 2002 | May 18 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2005 | May 12 |
| 2006 | Apr 28 |
| 2007 | Apr 15 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
| 2009 | May 18 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2011 | Apr 21 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | May 13 |
| 2014 | Apr 27 |
| 2015 | Apr 26 |
| 2016 | Apr 14 |
| 2017 | Apr 7 |
| 2018 | May 1 |
| 2019 | Apr 28 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | May 8 |
| 2022 | Apr 29 |
| 2023 | Apr 19 |
| 2024 | Apr 26 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1948 | 182 |
| 1949 | 181 |
| 1950 | 170 |
| 1951 | 158 |
| 1952 | 163 |
| 1953 | 166 |
| 1954 | 151 |
| 1955 | 146 |
| 1956 | 118 |
| 1957 | 159 |
| 1958 | 158 |
| 1959 | 123 |
| 1960 | 177 |
| 1961 | 124 |
| 1962 | 165 |
| 1963 | 159 |
| 1964 | 164 |
| 1966 | 153 |
| 1967 | 149 |
| 1968 | 169 |
| 1969 | 148 |
| 1970 | 161 |
| 1971 | 183 |
| 1972 | 154 |
| 1973 | 169 |
| 1974 | 146 |
| 1975 | 185 |
| 1976 | 134 |
| 1977 | 161 |
| 1978 | 162 |
| 1979 | 157 |
| 1980 | 186 |
| 1981 | 164 |
| 1982 | 171 |
| 1983 | 162 |
| 1984 | 192 |
| 1986 | 169 |
| 1987 | 170 |
| 1988 | 143 |
| 1993 | 156 |
| 1995 | 174 |
| 1996 | 143 |
| 1998 | 192 |
| 1999 | 160 |
| 2001 | 170 |
| 2002 | 147 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2005 | 161 |
| 2006 | 167 |
| 2007 | 200 |
| 2008 | 172 |
| 2009 | 145 |
| 2010 | 146 |
| 2011 | 183 |
| 2012 | 159 |
| 2013 | 161 |
| 2014 | 178 |
| 2015 | 195 |
| 2016 | 196 |
| 2018 | 169 |
| 2019 | 179 |
| 2020 | 154 |
| 2021 | 177 |
| 2022 | 196 |
| 2023 | 187 |
| 2024 | 173 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1948 | 14.7 °C |
| 1949 | 15.2 °C |
| 1950 | 12.8 °C |
| 1951 | 13.9 °C |
| 1952 | 14.9 °C |
| 1953 | 14.4 °C |
| 1954 | 13.9 °C |
| 1955 | 16.2 °C |
| 1956 | 13.0 °C |
| 1957 | 13.9 °C |
| 1958 | 13.6 °C |
| 1959 | 15.6 °C |
| 1960 | 13.8 °C |
| 1961 | 14.2 °C |
| 1962 | 14.0 °C |
| 1963 | 13.7 °C |
| 1964 | 14.2 °C |
| 1966 | 14.1 °C |
| 1967 | 13.4 °C |
| 1968 | 14.5 °C |
| 1969 | 14.1 °C |
| 1970 | 14.7 °C |
| 1971 | 14.1 °C |
| 1972 | 13.4 °C |
| 1973 | 15.2 °C |
| 1974 | 14.1 °C |
| 1975 | 14.9 °C |
| 1976 | 14.8 °C |
| 1977 | 14.9 °C |
| 1978 | 14.4 °C |
| 1979 | 13.8 °C |
| 1980 | 14.8 °C |
| 1981 | 14.8 °C |
| 1982 | 13.8 °C |
| 1983 | 15.1 °C |
| 1984 | 14.8 °C |
| 1986 | 15.4 °C |
| 1987 | 16.1 °C |
| 1988 | 15.8 °C |
| 1991 | 15.5 °C |
| 1993 | 13.5 °C |
| 1995 | 14.5 °C |
| 1996 | 13.3 °C |
| 1997 | 13.5 °C |
| 1998 | 16.0 °C |
| 1999 | 15.8 °C |
| 2001 | 15.5 °C |
| 2002 | 15.3 °C |
| 2004 | 14.6 °C |
| 2005 | 15.8 °C |
| 2006 | 15.8 °C |
| 2007 | 15.5 °C |
| 2008 | 14.9 °C |
| 2009 | 14.2 °C |
| 2010 | 16.2 °C |
| 2011 | 15.1 °C |
| 2012 | 16.1 °C |
| 2013 | 14.3 °C |
| 2014 | 14.4 °C |
| 2015 | 16.3 °C |
| 2016 | 16.3 °C |
| 2017 | 16.3 °C |
| 2018 | 15.0 °C |
| 2019 | 14.1 °C |
| 2020 | 14.8 °C |
| 2021 | 15.9 °C |
| 2022 | 15.3 °C |
| 2023 | 15.5 °C |
| 2024 | 16.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1948, Alpena'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 Alpena Wwtp (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.