Detroit, Michigan planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Detroit

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Detroit City Airport, 5.7 miles NNE 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 Detroit

1. January

   Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

3. March

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

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

4. April

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips

5. May

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

6. June

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

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

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, tulips

11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Detroit

All 17 of Detroit's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Detroit City Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

Detroit City Airport also supplies the frost dates for Warren, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores and Royal Oak, so their planting calendars match Detroit's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Detroit

Nearby cities

• Dearborn, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
• Warren, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 21
• Royal Oak, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 21
• Dearborn Heights, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
• Southfield, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
• St. Clair Shores, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 21