East Lansing, MI 48808 Frost Dates
When can you plant in East Lansing, MI?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/01, roughly 246 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/13, about 162 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts East Lansing in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 7 weeks of growing season left in East Lansing before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
05/01 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/18 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/18 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How East Lansing compares
East Lansing's growing season runs about 162 days, ranking 31,603 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MI, it ranks 543 of 1,153.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and East Lansing's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around East Lansing's dates instead of trusting one.