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When to plant in Ferndale, MI

USDA Zone 6b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Ferndale, Michigan — all computed from Ferndale's nearest NOAA weather station.

Zone 6b means Ferndale sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · DETROIT CITY AP · 11.4 km
Last spring frost
April 21
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 31
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
193 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for FerndaleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Ferndale: last spring frost around April 21, first fall frost around October 31, about 193 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

DETROIT CITY AP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Ferndale’s own odds, recorded at DETROIT CITY AP.

Frost-probability curves for FerndaleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 21 and the first fall frost around October 31, giving about 193 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 18May 1Apr 19Oct 2Oct 18Oct 31
32°FMay 6Apr 21Apr 7Oct 17Oct 31Nov 11
28°FApr 22Apr 8Mar 27Oct 29Nov 9Nov 23

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Brussels Sprouts
July 11July 25
Fall sowin 6 days
Rutabaga
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 20 days
Broccoli
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Cabbage
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Carrot
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Cauliflower
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Napa Cabbage
August 8September 5

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Ferndale, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 18 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

DETROIT CITY AP
Primary
11 km · 191 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 21
FALL
Oct 31
DEARBORN #2
13 km · 184 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 27
FALL
Oct 25
DEARBORN
18 km · 184 m elevation
SPRING
May 1
FALL
Oct 15

Ferndale planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Ferndale, MI?

Plan for the last spring frost in Ferndale around April 21 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Ferndale, MI?

In Ferndale, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 31 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Ferndale in?

Ferndale is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. In zone 6b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Ferndale?

There are roughly 193 frost-free days in Ferndale (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 21 to the first fall frost near October 31.

When should I plant tomatoes in Ferndale?

In Ferndale, start tomato seeds indoors around February 24–March 10, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 28 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Ferndale

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Ferndale’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at DETROIT CITY AP, 11 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Ferndale, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00014822. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/michigan/ferndale.