Westland, Michigan planting calendar and frost dates
Westland is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. The last spring frost typically comes around April 20 and the first fall frost around October 27, giving about 188 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 6b
- Typical last frost
- April 20
- Typical first frost
- October 27
- Frost-free season
- 188 days
Frost dates in Westland
Last spring frost
- April 6Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- April 20Typical: a later frost in half of years
- May 8Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- October 14Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- October 27Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- November 9Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 188 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around April 8 and returns around November 7.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Detroit Metro Airport, 7.6 miles SSE of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Westland shares this station with Livonia, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.
What to plant each month in Westland
January
Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus
February
Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons
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
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
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
June
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass
July
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass
Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, collard greens, lettuce, swiss chard
August
Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips
September
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tulips, turnips
October
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
November
Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips
December
Start indoors: onions
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Westland
All 2 of Westland's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Detroit Metro Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48185 | 6b | Detroit Metro Airport, 7.6 mi SSE | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
| 48186 | 6b | Detroit Metro Airport, 4.8 mi SSE | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
Detroit Metro Airport also supplies the frost dates for Livonia and Taylor, so their planting calendars match Westland's.
Planting dates for popular crops in Westland
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Strawberries | — | Mar 9 to 23 | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 23 to Mar 9 | Apr 13 to 27 | Jul 28 to Sep 1 |
| Cilantro | Mar 9 to 23 | Apr 20 to 27 | — |
| Basil | Mar 28 to Apr 11 | May 16 to 23 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Apr 19 to 26 | — |
| Garlic | — | Mar 9 to 23 | Oct 27 to Nov 10 |
| Onions | Dec 29 to Feb 9 | Mar 23 to Apr 6 | — |
| Cucumbers | Apr 18 to May 2 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Pumpkins | Apr 18 to May 2 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Peppers | Feb 28 to Mar 28 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Carrots | — | Mar 30 to Apr 20 | Aug 4 to 25 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | May 30 to Jun 6 | — |
| Watermelons | Apr 11 to 25 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Apr 20 to May 4 | — |
| Green Beans | — | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Zucchini | Apr 18 to May 2 | May 16 to 30 | — |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 to 23 | Mar 23 to Apr 6 | Aug 11 to Sep 8 |
| Peas | — | Mar 9 to 23 | Aug 4 to 18 |
| Spinach | Mar 9 to 16 | Apr 13 to 27 | Aug 18 to Sep 22 |
| Sunflowers | — | Apr 20 to May 11 | — |
| Zinnias | May 18 to 25 | Jun 15 to 29 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Sep 15 to Nov 10 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Sep 15 to Oct 27 |
| Grass Seed | — | Mar 9 to 23 | Sep 15 to 29 |
Nearby cities
- Dearborn Heights, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
- Livonia, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 20
- Dearborn, MI zone 6b, last frost May 1
- Taylor, MI zone 6b, last frost Apr 20
- Farmington Hills, MI zone 6a, last frost May 1
- Novi, MI zone 6a, last frost Apr 29
Planting in MichiganAbout zone 6bPrintable calendar for Westland
Questions
When is the last frost in Westland?
Around April 20 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Detroit Metro Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 8.
What planting zone is Westland in?
USDA hardiness zone 6b (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Westland?
Start seeds indoors March 21 to April 4 and set plants out May 16 to 30.
When is the first frost in Westland?
Around October 27 in a typical year, and before October 14 about 1 year in 10.