blissgarden.

When to plant in Salem Lakes, WI

USDA Zone 5b

Salem Lakes, 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 5b, Salem Lakes gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · PADDOCK LAKE · 6.0 km
Last spring frost
April 30
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 15
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
168 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Salem LakesA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Salem Lakes: last spring frost around April 30, first fall frost around October 15, about 168 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

PADDOCK LAKE · 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 Salem Lakes’s own odds, recorded at PADDOCK LAKE.

Frost-probability curves for Salem LakesProbability 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 15, giving about 168 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 27May 12Apr 29Sep 22Oct 4Oct 17
32°FMay 16Apr 30Apr 15Sep 30Oct 15Oct 27
28°FMay 3Apr 19Apr 6Oct 11Oct 26Nov 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 9July 23
Fall sowin 4 days
Broccoli
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Cabbage
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Carrot
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Cauliflower
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Napa Cabbage
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Beet
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Collards
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Endive
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Escarole
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Kale
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Kohlrabi
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Peas
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Radicchio
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Swiss Chard
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Turnip
August 6September 3

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 13 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.

PADDOCK LAKE
Primary
6 km · 236 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 30
FALL
Oct 15
ANTIOCH
7 km · 229 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 21
LAKE VILLA 2NE
13 km · 256 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 24
FALL
Oct 23

Salem Lakes planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Salem Lakes, WI?

On average, the last spring frost in Salem Lakes is around April 30 (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 Salem Lakes, WI?

Expect Salem Lakes's first fall frost near October 15 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Salem Lakes in?

Salem Lakes is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Salem Lakes?

Salem Lakes has about 168 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 30) and first fall frost (October 15).

When should I plant tomatoes in Salem Lakes?

For Salem Lakes, sow tomatoes indoors about March 5–March 19 and move the seedlings out around May 7, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Salem Lakes

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at PADDOCK LAKE, 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 Salem Lakes, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00476380. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/wisconsin/salem-lakes.
When to Plant in Salem Lakes, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden