When to plant in DeForest, WI
USDA Zone 5aDeForest, Wisconsin frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
In zone 5a, DeForest gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.
The average first fall frost in DeForest is now 9 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
ARLINGTON · 1991–2020The 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 DeForest’s own odds, recorded at ARLINGTON.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 29 | May 14 | Apr 30 | Sep 15 | Sep 28 | Oct 8 |
| 32°F | May 18 | May 4 | Apr 20 | Sep 23 | Oct 6 | Oct 20 |
| 28°F | May 7 | Apr 22 | Apr 7 | Oct 3 | Oct 18 | Oct 31 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in DeForest, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 18 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
DeForest planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in DeForest, WI?
Plan for the last spring frost in DeForest around May 4 (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 DeForest, WI?
In DeForest, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 6 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is DeForest in?
DeForest is in USDA hardiness zone 5a. In zone 5a, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.
How long is the growing season in DeForest?
DeForest has about 155 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (October 6).
When should I plant tomatoes in DeForest?
For DeForest, sow tomatoes indoors about March 9–March 23 and move the seedlings out around May 11, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in DeForest
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to DeForest’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at ARLINGTON, 8 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in DeForest, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00470308. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/wisconsin/deforest.