Michigan vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Michigan, the average last spring frost is May 1 in Lansing and April 21 in Detroit (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Lansing and Detroit 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 Michigan, 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.
Lansing
When to plant tomatoes in Lansing?
In Lansing, Michigan, the average last spring frost is May 1 and the average first fall frost is October 13 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, LANSING CAPITAL CITY AP station, 6 km from ZIP 48933). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors April 5 to June 11 and plant out seedlings May 18 to July 15, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Lansing (48933)
- Last spring frost: May 1 on average, May 18 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 13 on average, Sep 29 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 20 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 15 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: Apr 6 to Apr 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Mar 8 to Apr 4 Plant out seedlings: Apr 6 to Apr 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 20 to May 4 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: Apr 20 to May 4 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 13 to Jul 13 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Jun 1 to Aug 4 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 22 to May 21 Plant out seedlings: Jun 1 to Jul 15 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Apr 6 to Apr 20 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Apr 6 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 20 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Jun 1 to Jul 5 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Jun 1 to Aug 9 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Apr 6 to Apr 20 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Apr 6 to Apr 20 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Apr 5 to May 5 Plant out seedlings: Jun 1 to Jul 15 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 6 to Apr 20 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 18 to Aug 14 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 6 to Apr 20 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 4 to Sep 1 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Jun 1 to Aug 14 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 18 to Jul 15 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: May 6 to Jun 4 Plant out slips: Jun 1 to Jun 5 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Apr 5 to Jun 11 Plant out seedlings: May 18 to Jul 15 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Jun 1 to Jul 5 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Jun 4 to Sep 3 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 21 to Sep 4 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 19 to May 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 6 to Aug 20 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 22 to May 21 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 6 to Sep 4 |
Detroit
When to plant tomatoes in Detroit?
In Detroit, Michigan, the average last spring frost is April 21 and the average first fall frost is October 31 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, DETROIT CITY AP station, 9.2 km from ZIP 48226). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 26 to June 1 and plant out seedlings May 6 to August 2, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Detroit (48226)
- Last spring frost: Apr 21 on average, May 6 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 31 on average, Oct 17 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 5 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 26 to Mar 25 Plant out seedlings: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 12 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 1 to Jul 31 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Aug 22 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 12 to May 11 Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Aug 2 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 8 to Apr 22 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Jul 23 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Aug 27 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 26 to Apr 25 Plant out seedlings: May 20 to Aug 2 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 25 to Apr 8 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 6 to Sep 1 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Sep 1 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 6 to Aug 2 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 26 to May 25 Plant out slips: May 20 to Jun 23 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 26 to Jun 1 Plant out seedlings: May 6 to Aug 2 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 20 to Jul 23 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 25 to Aug 24 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 25 to Apr 24 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 8 to Sep 22 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Apr 24 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 24 to Sep 7 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 12 to May 11 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 24 to Sep 22 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- 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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