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When to plant in Flint, MI

USDA Zone 6a

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Flint, Michigan — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

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

Station · FLINT 7W · 6.5 km
Last spring frost
May 3
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 13
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
163 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for FlintA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Flint: last spring frost around May 3, first fall frost around October 13, about 163 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

FLINT 7W · 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 Flint’s own odds, recorded at FLINT 7W.

Frost-probability curves for FlintProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 3 and the first fall frost around October 13, giving about 163 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 29May 14Apr 29Sep 20Oct 2Oct 13
32°FMay 20May 3Apr 20Sep 30Oct 13Oct 27
28°FMay 9Apr 22Apr 8Oct 12Oct 27Nov 9

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
Rutabaga
July 7July 21
Fall sowin 2 days
Broccoli
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Cabbage
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Carrot
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Cauliflower
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Napa Cabbage
July 21August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Beet
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Collards
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Endive
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Escarole
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Kale
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Kohlrabi
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Peas
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Radicchio
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Swiss Chard
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Turnip
August 4September 1

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 Flint, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 9 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.

FLINT 7W
Primary
6 km · 207 m elevation
SPRING
May 3
FALL
Oct 13
FLINT BISHOP INTL AP
8 km · 235 m elevation
SPRING
May 6
FALL
Oct 10
BURTON 4N
9 km · 231 m elevation
SPRING
May 8
FALL
Oct 5

Flint planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Flint, MI?

On average, the last spring frost in Flint is around May 3 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Flint, MI?

Expect Flint's first fall frost near October 13 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Flint in?

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

How long is the growing season in Flint?

There are roughly 163 frost-free days in Flint (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 3 to the first fall frost near October 13.

When should I plant tomatoes in Flint?

In Flint, start tomato seeds indoors around March 8–March 22, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 10 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Flint

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at FLINT 7W, 6 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 Flint, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00202851. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/michigan/flint.
When to Plant in Flint, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6a — BlissGarden