South Haven, MI 49043 Frost Dates
When can you plant in South Haven, MI?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/17, roughly 232 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/05, about 201 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts South Haven in Zone 6b (-5 to 0°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 10 weeks of growing season left in South Haven before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/17 isn't a guarantee
04/17 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/03 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/04 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How South Haven compares
About 201 days separate South Haven's last and first frost, putting it 17,503 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within MI, it ranks 1 of 1,153.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in South Haven can differ from the 49043 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6b and South Haven's frost date answer different questions.