When to plant in Imlay City, MI
Planting dates worked out from Imlay City's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 23
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 6
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 11
1 year in 10 by Sep 22
Frost-free days
154
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Lapeer Wwtp · 19.1 km away · station 250 m, town 252 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 28 – Apr 11 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 17 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 22 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 19 |
| Peas | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | Jun 3 |
| Bush beans | — | May 16 – Jun 6 | Jul 5 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 19 – May 31 | Jun 18 |
| Beet | — | Apr 19 – May 31 | Jun 8 |
| Potato | — | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 28 |
| Kale | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | May 29 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Jun 8 |
| Cucumber | Apr 25 – May 2 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 12 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 25 – May 2 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 7 |
| Winter squash | Apr 25 – May 2 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Aug 11 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 16 – Jun 6 | Jul 15 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Jul 8 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 27 – Oct 25 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | May 17 |
| Basil | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 19 |
Imlay City'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 |
|---|---|
| 1950 | May 2 |
| 1951 | May 13 |
| 1952 | May 16 |
| 1953 | Apr 28 |
| 1954 | May 26 |
| 1955 | May 17 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | May 16 |
| 1958 | May 26 |
| 1959 | May 16 |
| 1960 | May 9 |
| 1961 | May 30 |
| 1962 | May 27 |
| 1963 | May 23 |
| 1964 | Apr 25 |
| 1965 | Apr 25 |
| 1966 | Jun 1 |
| 1967 | May 23 |
| 1968 | May 7 |
| 1969 | May 26 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 28 |
| 1972 | Apr 28 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1976 | May 24 |
| 1977 | Jun 3 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 5 |
| 1980 | Jun 11 |
| 1981 | May 20 |
| 1982 | May 3 |
| 1983 | Jun 8 |
| 1985 | Apr 17 |
| 1986 | May 3 |
| 1987 | May 5 |
| 1988 | Apr 25 |
| 1989 | Apr 23 |
| 1990 | Apr 18 |
| 1991 | Apr 18 |
| 1992 | May 25 |
| 1994 | May 13 |
| 1995 | Apr 25 |
| 1996 | May 13 |
| 1997 | May 14 |
| 1998 | Apr 29 |
| 1999 | Apr 26 |
| 2000 | Apr 30 |
| 2001 | May 13 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 29 |
| 2007 | Apr 16 |
| 2008 | May 28 |
| 2010 | May 11 |
| 2011 | Apr 20 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | May 14 |
| 2015 | May 23 |
| 2016 | Apr 28 |
| 2017 | May 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 29 |
| 2020 | May 14 |
| 2021 | May 10 |
| 2022 | Apr 30 |
| 2023 | May 18 |
| 2024 | Apr 26 |
| 2025 | Apr 18 |
| 2026 | May 12 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 144 |
| 1951 | 138 |
| 1952 | 139 |
| 1953 | 138 |
| 1954 | 133 |
| 1955 | 131 |
| 1956 | 118 |
| 1957 | 133 |
| 1959 | 123 |
| 1960 | 127 |
| 1961 | 121 |
| 1962 | 115 |
| 1963 | 142 |
| 1964 | 140 |
| 1965 | 154 |
| 1966 | 106 |
| 1967 | 122 |
| 1968 | 150 |
| 1969 | 125 |
| 1970 | 144 |
| 1971 | 156 |
| 1972 | 164 |
| 1973 | 125 |
| 1974 | 137 |
| 1977 | 77 |
| 1978 | 157 |
| 1979 | 102 |
| 1981 | 126 |
| 1982 | 117 |
| 1983 | 97 |
| 1985 | 182 |
| 1986 | 160 |
| 1987 | 159 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 177 |
| 1991 | 155 |
| 1992 | 133 |
| 1994 | 150 |
| 1995 | 150 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 154 |
| 1998 | 175 |
| 1999 | 148 |
| 2000 | 181 |
| 2001 | 146 |
| 2002 | 144 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2006 | 166 |
| 2010 | 163 |
| 2012 | 161 |
| 2013 | 162 |
| 2015 | 146 |
| 2016 | 180 |
| 2017 | 169 |
| 2018 | 168 |
| 2019 | 168 |
| 2020 | 126 |
| 2021 | 166 |
| 2022 | 155 |
| 2023 | 157 |
| 2024 | 173 |
| 2025 | 190 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.3 °C |
| 1951 | 16.0 °C |
| 1952 | 16.8 °C |
| 1953 | 16.7 °C |
| 1954 | 16.6 °C |
| 1955 | 18.4 °C |
| 1956 | 15.6 °C |
| 1957 | 16.2 °C |
| 1959 | 17.8 °C |
| 1960 | 16.1 °C |
| 1961 | 15.9 °C |
| 1962 | 16.0 °C |
| 1963 | 16.5 °C |
| 1964 | 17.4 °C |
| 1965 | 16.3 °C |
| 1966 | 15.8 °C |
| 1967 | 16.0 °C |
| 1968 | 17.0 °C |
| 1969 | 16.7 °C |
| 1970 | 17.5 °C |
| 1971 | 17.0 °C |
| 1972 | 16.2 °C |
| 1973 | 16.9 °C |
| 1974 | 15.8 °C |
| 1977 | 16.4 °C |
| 1978 | 16.6 °C |
| 1979 | 16.4 °C |
| 1980 | 16.3 °C |
| 1981 | 15.9 °C |
| 1985 | 16.6 °C |
| 1986 | 16.7 °C |
| 1987 | 18.2 °C |
| 1988 | 18.4 °C |
| 1989 | 17.0 °C |
| 1990 | 16.7 °C |
| 1991 | 18.0 °C |
| 1992 | 15.4 °C |
| 1994 | 15.8 °C |
| 1995 | 16.1 °C |
| 1996 | 15.3 °C |
| 1997 | 14.6 °C |
| 1998 | 17.6 °C |
| 1999 | 17.2 °C |
| 2000 | 15.7 °C |
| 2001 | 16.6 °C |
| 2002 | 16.7 °C |
| 2004 | 16.3 °C |
| 2006 | 16.8 °C |
| 2007 | 17.0 °C |
| 2010 | 18.1 °C |
| 2011 | 17.1 °C |
| 2012 | 17.8 °C |
| 2013 | 16.7 °C |
| 2014 | 16.1 °C |
| 2015 | 17.1 °C |
| 2016 | 17.5 °C |
| 2017 | 17.1 °C |
| 2018 | 17.5 °C |
| 2019 | 16.9 °C |
| 2020 | 16.8 °C |
| 2021 | 17.7 °C |
| 2022 | 17.4 °C |
| 2023 | 16.8 °C |
| 2024 | 18.1 °C |
| 2025 | 17.4 °C |
| 2026 | 17.7 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1950, Imlay City's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 6 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Lapeer Wwtp (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.