Growing Carrots in Michigan: Soil, Sowing and Forked Roots
Michigan’s official state soil, the Kalkaska series, is sandy and acidic, exactly the kind of ground carrots like on paper but not necessarily the ground…
Gardening in Michigan
Everything we have worked out for Michigan: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Detroit, the last spring freeze runs April 30 in the Detroit area; early to mid May across most of the Lower Peninsula and the first fall freeze runs October 6 to October 21, USDA zones 4a-6b, 3,248 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 26.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Michigan: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Growing Beets in Michigan: Soil, Sowing and Bolting
Michigan’s state soil runs sandy and acid, which means beet roots push through it easily but the ground drains fast and holds little moisture right when…
When to Plant Potatoes in Michigan: Counting Back From Your Last Frost
Potatoes go into Michigan soil 14 to 21 days before your last spring frost, timed to when soil temperature reaches 50 F, according to Utah State…
Harvesting and Storing Potatoes in Michigan
Michigan potatoes need to come out of the ground before the first fall frost, which arrives October 6 to October 21 in the state’s zone 6a areas.
Potato Varieties That Suit Michigan
Early and mid-season potato varieties fit Michigan best, because the state’s soil crosses 50°F while frost risk is still active, and that narrow window…
When Does the Heating Season Start in Michigan?
In Michigan, heating degree days start accumulating in September, the first month the average temperature drops below the 65°F threshold used to track…
What to Plant in Michigan in September
September in Michigan sits in the final stretch before the first fall frost, which lands between October 6 and October 21 in zone 6a according to MSU…
What to Plant in Michigan in October
October in Michigan straddles the first fall frost, which arrives anywhere from October 6 to October 21 depending on where you garden.
What to Plant in Michigan in November
By November, the growing season in Michigan is essentially closed for anything tender.
What to Plant in Michigan in May
May is Michigan’s real planting month, but it splits into two halves. Early May still carries frost risk across most of the state, so cool-season crops…