When to plant in Bridgman, MI
Planting dates worked out from Bridgman's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 28
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 13
1 year in 10 by Sep 24
Frost-free days
153
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Benton Harbor Ap · 22.9 km away · station 190 m, town 207 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 2 – Apr 16 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 22 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 27 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | May 21 |
| Peas | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 26 |
| Bush beans | — | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 10 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 18 – May 30 | Jun 17 |
| Beet | — | Apr 11 – May 23 | May 31 |
| Potato | — | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jun 27 |
| Kale | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | May 24 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jun 10 |
| Cucumber | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 17 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 12 |
| Winter squash | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Aug 16 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 20 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jul 10 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 29 – Oct 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 9 |
| Basil | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 24 |
Bridgman'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 |
|---|---|
| 1893 | Apr 24 |
| 1896 | Apr 9 |
| 1942 | May 5 |
| 1943 | May 14 |
| 1944 | May 7 |
| 1945 | May 11 |
| 1946 | May 13 |
| 1948 | May 26 |
| 1949 | May 11 |
| 1950 | May 2 |
| 1951 | May 13 |
| 1953 | Apr 21 |
| 1955 | May 18 |
| 1956 | May 1 |
| 1957 | May 6 |
| 1958 | May 7 |
| 1959 | Apr 22 |
| 1961 | May 27 |
| 1962 | Apr 20 |
| 1963 | May 1 |
| 1964 | Apr 9 |
| 1965 | Apr 29 |
| 1966 | May 10 |
| 1967 | Apr 28 |
| 1968 | May 6 |
| 1969 | Apr 30 |
| 1970 | May 6 |
| 1971 | May 5 |
| 1972 | May 10 |
| 1973 | May 17 |
| 1974 | May 10 |
| 1975 | Apr 26 |
| 1976 | May 8 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 5 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1981 | May 7 |
| 1983 | May 27 |
| 1984 | May 16 |
| 1985 | May 3 |
| 1986 | May 3 |
| 1987 | May 5 |
| 1988 | May 26 |
| 1989 | May 28 |
| 1991 | May 3 |
| 1992 | Jun 22 |
| 1993 | Jun 1 |
| 1994 | May 27 |
| 1995 | Apr 24 |
| 1997 | May 22 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 26 |
| 2000 | May 2 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | May 21 |
| 2003 | May 3 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | May 23 |
| 2007 | Apr 17 |
| 2008 | May 29 |
| 2009 | May 18 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2011 | May 6 |
| 2012 | Apr 28 |
| 2014 | May 17 |
| 2015 | Apr 28 |
| 2016 | Apr 13 |
| 2017 | May 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 30 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | May 14 |
| 2022 | Jun 3 |
| 2023 | May 3 |
| 2024 | Apr 25 |
| 2025 | Apr 28 |
| 2026 | May 13 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1893 | 157 |
| 1942 | 143 |
| 1943 | 142 |
| 1944 | 139 |
| 1945 | 141 |
| 1946 | 140 |
| 1948 | 144 |
| 1949 | 140 |
| 1950 | 144 |
| 1951 | 138 |
| 1953 | 168 |
| 1956 | 152 |
| 1957 | 143 |
| 1958 | 173 |
| 1959 | 179 |
| 1961 | 152 |
| 1962 | 153 |
| 1963 | 181 |
| 1964 | 171 |
| 1965 | 158 |
| 1966 | 137 |
| 1967 | 190 |
| 1968 | 176 |
| 1969 | 175 |
| 1970 | 184 |
| 1971 | 183 |
| 1972 | 160 |
| 1973 | 171 |
| 1974 | 144 |
| 1975 | 186 |
| 1976 | 138 |
| 1977 | 155 |
| 1978 | 166 |
| 1979 | 160 |
| 1980 | 156 |
| 1983 | 135 |
| 1984 | 136 |
| 1985 | 132 |
| 1986 | 159 |
| 1987 | 151 |
| 1988 | 131 |
| 1989 | 118 |
| 1991 | 140 |
| 1992 | 92 |
| 1993 | 114 |
| 1994 | 136 |
| 1995 | 175 |
| 1997 | 148 |
| 1998 | 188 |
| 1999 | 170 |
| 2000 | 162 |
| 2001 | 190 |
| 2002 | 145 |
| 2003 | 151 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2005 | 169 |
| 2006 | 142 |
| 2007 | 192 |
| 2008 | 126 |
| 2009 | 135 |
| 2010 | 146 |
| 2011 | 168 |
| 2014 | 146 |
| 2015 | 172 |
| 2016 | 193 |
| 2017 | 126 |
| 2018 | 170 |
| 2019 | 185 |
| 2020 | 170 |
| 2021 | 165 |
| 2022 | 145 |
| 2023 | 180 |
| 2024 | 190 |
| 2025 | 194 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1893 | 16.9 °C |
| 1942 | 17.6 °C |
| 1943 | 16.6 °C |
| 1944 | 17.7 °C |
| 1945 | 16.1 °C |
| 1946 | 17.1 °C |
| 1948 | 17.0 °C |
| 1949 | 16.9 °C |
| 1950 | 15.6 °C |
| 1951 | 15.7 °C |
| 1953 | 17.6 °C |
| 1954 | 17.4 °C |
| 1956 | 17.4 °C |
| 1957 | 17.0 °C |
| 1958 | 17.0 °C |
| 1959 | 18.9 °C |
| 1960 | 18.4 °C |
| 1961 | 16.5 °C |
| 1962 | 17.4 °C |
| 1963 | 17.2 °C |
| 1964 | 18.5 °C |
| 1965 | 18.0 °C |
| 1966 | 16.5 °C |
| 1967 | 16.7 °C |
| 1968 | 17.9 °C |
| 1969 | 17.7 °C |
| 1970 | 18.1 °C |
| 1971 | 17.0 °C |
| 1972 | 17.1 °C |
| 1973 | 18.2 °C |
| 1974 | 17.4 °C |
| 1976 | 17.0 °C |
| 1977 | 18.4 °C |
| 1978 | 17.2 °C |
| 1979 | 16.0 °C |
| 1981 | 16.3 °C |
| 1982 | 17.0 °C |
| 1983 | 17.5 °C |
| 1984 | 16.7 °C |
| 1985 | 17.1 °C |
| 1986 | 18.1 °C |
| 1987 | 18.4 °C |
| 1988 | 17.4 °C |
| 1989 | 15.3 °C |
| 1991 | 19.0 °C |
| 1992 | 14.9 °C |
| 1993 | 16.2 °C |
| 1994 | 17.5 °C |
| 2006 | 18.1 °C |
| 2007 | 18.9 °C |
| 2009 | 17.3 °C |
| 2010 | 19.8 °C |
| 2011 | 18.5 °C |
| 2012 | 19.6 °C |
| 2014 | 15.6 °C |
| 2015 | 16.2 °C |
| 2016 | 18.8 °C |
| 2017 | 17.1 °C |
| 2018 | 17.7 °C |
| 2019 | 18.2 °C |
| 2020 | 18.1 °C |
| 2021 | 18.9 °C |
| 2022 | 18.3 °C |
| 2023 | 17.9 °C |
| 2024 | 19.2 °C |
| 2025 | 17.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1893, Bridgman's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has grown by about 1 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Benton Harbor Ap (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.