Fall in zone 6aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 48532 (Genesee County, MI)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Flint 7W, MI (2 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 350% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)162 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6a-10 to -5°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 48532, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 48532 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-April to early May.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 20 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 3 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 20 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Sep 30 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 13 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 27 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 14 | Oct 2 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 3 | Oct 13 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 22 | Oct 27 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 48532
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 3) and first fall frost (Oct 13). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 8–22 | May 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 22–Mar 8 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 22–Mar 8 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 8–22 | May 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 8–22 | Apr 12–May 3 (transplant) Apr 5–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 8 (transplant) Aug 4–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) Jul 7–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–May 3 (transplant) Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) Jul 7–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 14 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 22–Apr 5 | Apr 19–May 10 (transplant) Apr 19–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 12–May 10 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 29–May 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 12–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 8–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 1–29 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Sep 1–29 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 7 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 24–Jun 7 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 24–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 5–12 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 5–12 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 8–22 | May 10–17 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 19–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 12–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Flint 7W, MI (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00202851), elevation 679 ft, 2.2 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flint Bishop Intl AP, MI | 4 mi | May 6 | Oct 10 |
| Burton 4N, MI | 11 mi | May 8 | Oct 5 |
| Durand Wwtp, MI | 11 mi | May 3 | Oct 11 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 5 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 48532
When is the last frost in 48532?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 48532 is May 3. For a more cautious planting date, use May 20, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 48532?
The average first fall freeze is October 13. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 30.
What hardiness zone is 48532?
ZIP 48532 is in USDA zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 48532 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
48504 Flint 48503 Flint 48507 Flint 48473 Swartz Creek 48502 Flint 48433 Flushing 48505 Flint 48529 Burton
Other ZIP codes in Genesee County
48411 48420 48423 48433 48436 48437 48438 48439 48451 48457 48458 48463 48473 48502 48503 48504 48505 48506 48507 48509 48519 48529 All Genesee County frost dates · Michigan frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.