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When to plant in Mount Pleasant, MI

USDA Zone 6a

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

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

Station · CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV · 1.3 km
Last spring frost
April 30
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 20
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
173 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Mount PleasantA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Mount Pleasant: last spring frost around April 30, first fall frost around October 20, about 173 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average first fall frost in Mount Pleasant is now 12 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV · 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 Mount Pleasant’s own odds, recorded at CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV.

Frost-probability curves for Mount PleasantProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 30 and the first fall frost around October 20, giving about 173 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 24May 10Apr 28Sep 25Oct 7Oct 22
32°FMay 16Apr 30Apr 17Oct 5Oct 20Nov 3
28°FMay 4Apr 19Apr 4Oct 20Nov 3Nov 17

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 14July 28
Fall sowin 9 days
Broccoli
July 28August 11
Fall sowin 9 days
Cabbage
July 28August 11
Fall sowin 9 days
Carrot
July 28August 11
Fall sowin 9 days
Cauliflower
July 28August 11
Fall sowin 9 days
Napa Cabbage
July 28August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Beet
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Collards
August 11September 8
Fall sowin 23 days
Endive
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Escarole
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Kale
August 11September 8
Fall sowin 23 days
Kohlrabi
August 11September 8
Fall sowin 23 days
Peas
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Radicchio
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Swiss Chard
August 11August 25
Fall sowin 23 days
Turnip
August 11September 8

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 26 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.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV
Primary
1 km · 242 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 30
FALL
Oct 20
OIL CITY 2S
15 km · 207 m elevation
SPRING
May 15
FALL
Sep 29
ALMA
26 km · 222 m elevation
SPRING
May 1
FALL
Oct 13

Mount Pleasant planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Mount Pleasant, MI?

Mount Pleasant's average last spring frost falls near April 30 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Mount Pleasant, MI?

Expect Mount Pleasant's first fall frost near October 20 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Mount Pleasant in?

Mount Pleasant 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 Mount Pleasant?

There are roughly 173 frost-free days in Mount Pleasant (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 30 to the first fall frost near October 20.

When should I plant tomatoes in Mount Pleasant?

In Mount Pleasant, start tomato seeds indoors around March 5–March 19, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 7 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Mount Pleasant

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV, 1 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 Mount Pleasant, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00205662. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/michigan/mount-pleasant.
When to Plant in Mount Pleasant, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6a — BlissGarden