Alaska vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Alaska, the average last spring frost is May 3 in Juneau and May 1 in Anchorage (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Juneau and Anchorage for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Alaska, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Juneau
When to plant tomatoes in Juneau?
In Juneau, Alaska, the average last spring frost is May 3 and the average first fall frost is October 14 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, ANNEX CREEK station, 7.6 km from ZIP 99801). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 1 to March 15 and plant out seedlings May 3 to July 16, following University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates for Juneau (99801)
- Last spring frost: May 3 on average, May 18 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 14 on average, Oct 1 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Aug 15 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 26 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 26 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 14 to Jul 14 |
| Cucumber | Start seeds indoors: Apr 12 to Apr 12 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Aug 5 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Mar 22 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 |
| Green onion | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 16 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Jun 1 to Jul 6 |
| Okra | University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service doesn't recommend okra here. |
| Onion | Start seeds indoors: Feb 22 to Mar 8 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jun 16 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 16 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 15 to Mar 22 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 19 to Jul 6 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Aug 15 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Aug 15 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Aug 15 |
| Sweet corn | Start seeds indoors: Apr 5 to Apr 19 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: May 8 to Jun 6 Plant out slips: Jun 1 to Jun 6 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 1 to Mar 15 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 16 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Start seeds indoors: Apr 5 to Apr 12 Plant out seedlings: May 3 to Jul 6 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Jun 6 to Sep 5 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 9 to May 6 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 5 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 21 to May 6 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 7 to Aug 21 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to Jul 16 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 7 to Sep 5 |
Anchorage
When to plant tomatoes in Anchorage?
In Anchorage, Alaska, the average last spring frost is May 1 and the average first fall frost is September 29 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, ANCHORAGE MERRILL FLD station, 0.4 km from ZIP 99501). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors February 27 to March 13 and plant out seedlings May 1 to July 1, following University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates for Anchorage (99501)
- Last spring frost: May 1 on average, May 9 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Sep 29 on average, Sep 17 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 5a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 11 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 11 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 Plant out seedlings for fall: May 30 to Jun 29 |
| Cucumber | Start seeds indoors: Apr 10 to Apr 10 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 21 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Mar 20 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 |
| Green onion | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 1 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 23 to Jun 21 |
| Okra | University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service doesn't recommend okra here. |
| Onion | Start seeds indoors: Feb 20 to Mar 6 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jun 1 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 1 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 13 to Mar 20 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 17 to Jun 21 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 31 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 31 |
| Sweet corn | Start seeds indoors: Apr 3 to Apr 17 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: May 6 to Jun 4 Plant out slips: season too short |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Feb 27 to Mar 13 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jul 1 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Start seeds indoors: Apr 3 to Apr 10 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jun 21 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Jun 4 to Sep 3 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 7 to Aug 21 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Jun 22 to Aug 6 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 17 to Jul 1 Plant outdoors for fall: Jun 22 to Aug 21 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, 16 Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska (HGA-00134). Checked October 21, 2026.
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, Seed Starting & Transplanting (HGA-00032). Checked October 21, 2026.
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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