Ann Arbor, Michigan planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Ann Arbor

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ann Arbor U Of Mich, 3.7 miles ENE of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Ann Arbor

1. January

   Start indoors: onions

2. February

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

5. May

   Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tulips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Ann Arbor

All 5 of Ann Arbor's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Ann Arbor U Of Mich, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6a.

Planting dates for popular crops in Ann Arbor

Nearby cities

• Westland, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 20
• Novi, MI zone 6a, last frost Apr 29
• Livonia, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 20
• Dearborn Heights, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
• Farmington Hills, MI zone 6a, last frost May 1
• Taylor, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 20