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In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Detroit planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 22 – Apr 26 | May 17 – Aug 1 plant out | Jul 17 – Oct 15 |
| Pepper | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | May 27 – Jul 28 plant out | Jul 25 – Oct 15 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 23 – Apr 27 | Jun 1 – Jul 25 plant out | Aug 1 – Oct 15 |
| Cucumber | Apr 24 – May 21 | May 22 – Aug 11 sow | Jul 9 – Oct 15 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 19 – May 16 | May 17 – Aug 15 sow | Jul 3 – Oct 15 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 19 – May 16 | May 17 – Jul 15 sow | Aug 6 – Oct 28 |
| Watermelon | May 4 – May 31 | Jun 1 – Jul 24 sow | Aug 4 – Oct 15 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 8 – Jul 27 sow | Jul 20 – Oct 15 |
| Green beans | – | May 17 – Aug 11 sow | Jul 6 – Oct 15 |
| Peas | – | Apr 4 – Apr 27, Aug 4 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 15 – Jul 20, Sep 22 – Nov 7 |
| Lettuce | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | Mar 31 – May 20, Jul 24 – Sep 10 sow | Jun 3 – Jul 24, Aug 30 – Nov 10 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 26 – May 14, Aug 24 – Sep 14 sow | May 30 – Jul 16, Sep 28 – Nov 30 |
| Kale | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Mar 31 – Sep 3 sow | Jun 11 – Dec 15 |
| Cabbage | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 23 – Nov 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Aug 30 plant out | Jun 16 – Nov 14 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 9 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 20 – Dec 15 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 9 – Sep 3 sow | Jun 12 – Nov 21 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 31 – Jun 3, Aug 6 – Sep 28 sow | May 16 – Jul 7, Aug 27 – Nov 14 |
| Onions | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Apr 4 – Aug 2 plant out | Jul 11 – Oct 31 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 8 – Nov 11 sow | Jun 4 – Jun 24 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 14 – Aug 5 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 31 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 14 – Sep 7 sow | Jun 10 – Nov 21 |
| Basil | Apr 15 – May 13 | May 27 – Aug 30 plant out | Jun 24 – Oct 15 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 9 – May 26, Jul 29 – Sep 17 sow | May 29 – Jul 22, Aug 28 – Nov 14 |
| Parsley | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 14 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 30 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Detroit
- Average last spring frost
- April 21
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 6
- Average first autumn frost
- October 31
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 17
- Frost-free growing season
- 192 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Detroit City Ap (9 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -18°C0°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 28°C83°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -7°C20°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1°C33°F | -7°C20°F | -3°C27°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| February | 2°C36°F | -6°C21°F | -2°C29°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| March | 7°C45°F | -2°C29°F | 3°C37°F | 62 mm2.5 in |
| April | 14°C58°F | 4°C39°F | 9°C48°F | 80 mm3.2 in |
| May | 21°C70°F | 10°C50°F | 15°C60°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| June | 26°C79°F | 15°C60°F | 21°C69°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| July | 28°C83°F | 18°C64°F | 23°C74°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| August | 28°C82°F | 17°C63°F | 22°C72°F | 78 mm3.1 in |
| September | 24°C75°F | 13°C56°F | 18°C65°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| October | 17°C62°F | 7°C45°F | 12°C53°F | 67 mm2.6 in |
| November | 9°C49°F | 1°C34°F | 5°C41°F | 69 mm2.7 in |
| December | 3°C37°F | -4°C26°F | 0°C31°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).