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When to plant in South Lyon, MI

USDA Zone 6a

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

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

Station · WHITMORE LAKE 1NW · 11.0 km
Last spring frost
May 5
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 13
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
161 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for South LyonA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for South Lyon: last spring frost around May 5, first fall frost around October 13, about 161 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

WHITMORE LAKE 1NW · 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 South Lyon’s own odds, recorded at WHITMORE LAKE 1NW.

Frost-probability curves for South LyonProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 5 and the first fall frost around October 13, giving about 161 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 31May 17May 1Sep 20Oct 1Oct 13
32°FMay 21May 5Apr 22Sep 30Oct 13Oct 26
28°FMay 10Apr 26Apr 12Oct 12Oct 26Nov 7

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 South Lyon, 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.

WHITMORE LAKE 1NW
Primary
11 km · 276 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 13
MILFORD GM PROVING GROUND
13 km · 296 m elevation
SPRING
May 6
FALL
Oct 12
ANN ARBOR U OF MICH
18 km · 248 m elevation
SPRING
May 3
FALL
Oct 13

South Lyon planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in South Lyon, MI?

Plan for the last spring frost in South Lyon around May 5 (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 South Lyon, MI?

In South Lyon, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 13 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is South Lyon in?

South Lyon 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 South Lyon?

There are roughly 161 frost-free days in South Lyon (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 5 to the first fall frost near October 13.

When should I plant tomatoes in South Lyon?

In South Lyon, start tomato seeds indoors around March 10–March 24, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 12 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in South Lyon

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at WHITMORE LAKE 1NW, 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 South Lyon, MI — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00208972. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/michigan/south-lyon.