Green Bay, Wisconsin frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | April 16 | October 26 |
| 70% | April 25 | October 16 |
| 50% | April 30 | October 9 |
| 30% | May 7 | October 3 |
| 10% | May 16 | September 24 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after May 16. These are NOAA probabilities for the Green Bay weather station (USW00014898, elevation 208 m), 1991–2020.
Green Bay vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 30). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (May 16) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Apr 9 | May 7 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 | Apr 2 |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 19 | Apr 2 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 | Mar 26 |
| Cauliflower | Mar 5 | Apr 16 |
| Sweet corn | Apr 2 | Apr 30 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Apr 16 | May 7 |
| Kale | Feb 12 | Mar 26 |
| Leeks | Jan 15 | Mar 26 |
| Lettuce | Mar 12 | Apr 16 |
| Melons | Apr 23 | May 14 |
| Onions | Jan 8 | Mar 19 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Mar 5 | Apr 2 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Mar 19 | May 14 |
| Squash | Apr 23 | May 14 |
| Tomatoes | Mar 5 | Apr 30 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 9. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before September 24. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around October 24.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | Apr 19 | Oct 29 | ~172 km |
| Madison, WI | May 1 | Oct 10 | ~180 km |
| Grand Rapids, MI | Apr 29 | Oct 20 | ~270 km |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 16 | Oct 28 | ~278 km |
| Lansing, MI | May 1 | Oct 13 | ~338 km |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Apr 27 | Oct 11 | ~407 km |