When to plant in Ripon, WI
Planting dates worked out from Ripon's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 259 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalMay 6about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 161 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlySep 251 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 8about half of years have had frost
- LateOct 229 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 152 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Berlin Wwtp · 18.5 km away · station 233 m, town 284 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 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 10 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 15 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | May 21 |
| Peas | — | Apr 11 – May 9 | Jun 5 |
| Bush beans | — | May 9 – May 30 | Jun 28 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 10 |
| Potato | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 30 |
| Kale | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 31 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jun 10 |
| Cucumber | Apr 18 – Apr 25 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 5 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 18 – Apr 25 | May 16 – May 30 | Jun 30 |
| Winter squash | Apr 18 – Apr 25 | May 16 – May 30 | Aug 4 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 9 – May 30 | Jul 8 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jul 10 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 24 – Oct 22 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 11 – May 9 | May 19 |
| Basil | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | May 16 – May 30 | Jul 12 |
Ripon'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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | May 3 |
| 2006 | May 7 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | May 19 |
| 2009 | Apr 21 |
| 2010 | May 9 |
| 2011 | May 4 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | May 17 |
| 2015 | May 13 |
| 2016 | May 15 |
| 2017 | May 8 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 29 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | May 9 |
| 2022 | May 4 |
| 2023 | May 27 |
| 2024 | Apr 25 |
| 2025 | May 9 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 168 |
| 2006 | 150 |
| 2007 | 152 |
| 2008 | 136 |
| 2009 | 161 |
| 2010 | 146 |
| 2011 | 151 |
| 2012 | 142 |
| 2013 | 151 |
| 2014 | 144 |
| 2015 | 155 |
| 2016 | 162 |
| 2017 | 173 |
| 2018 | 165 |
| 2019 | 167 |
| 2020 | 141 |
| 2021 | 165 |
| 2022 | 155 |
| 2023 | 142 |
| 2024 | 173 |
| 2025 | 167 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 17.6 °C |
| 2006 | 17.1 °C |
| 2007 | 17.4 °C |
| 2008 | 16.3 °C |
| 2009 | 15.5 °C |
| 2010 | 17.6 °C |
| 2011 | 15.8 °C |
| 2012 | 17.8 °C |
| 2013 | 15.8 °C |
| 2014 | 15.8 °C |
| 2015 | 16.7 °C |
| 2016 | 17.0 °C |
| 2017 | 16.6 °C |
| 2018 | 16.7 °C |
| 2019 | 16.0 °C |
| 2020 | 16.4 °C |
| 2021 | 17.2 °C |
| 2022 | 16.3 °C |
| 2023 | 17.2 °C |
| 2024 | 17.7 °C |
| 2025 | 16.9 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Berlin Wwtp (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.