Westland, Michigan: planting zone & frost dates
Westland is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 28 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 8 | Oct 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 28 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station DETROIT METRO AP, MI (USW00094847), 6.6 mi (10.6 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Westland
All 2 ZIP codes covering Westland are in zone 6b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Westland
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 22). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | May 5 – May 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | May 12 – May 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Apr 14 – May 5 | Mar 31 – May 12 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 5 – Jun 9 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 5 – Jun 2 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 5 – May 19 | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 12 – May 19 | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 7 – May 12 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 12 – May 26 | May 12 – Jun 2 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – May 5 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | May 12 – May 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 24 – May 12 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 7 – May 19 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Michigan
- Livonia — zone 6b, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 10
- Farmington Hills — zone 6a, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 10
- Dearborn — zone 6b, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 9
- Southfield — zone 6b, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 10
- Detroit — zone 6b, last frost May 2, first frost Oct 20
- Ann Arbor — zone 6a, last frost May 11, first frost Oct 4
More: all Michigan cities · other zone 6b cities: Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY
Westland gardening questions
When is the last frost in Westland, MI?
Plan around Apr 28. At NOAA's Detroit Metro Airport, MI station, 6.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 20, and after May 8 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 8. The 90% and 10% dates are 32 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Westland, MI?
Start seeds indoors Mar 3 – Mar 17 and set transplants outside May 5 – May 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 177 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Westland?
About 188 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 167 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 207 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 14 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 2nd longest of 15 Michigan cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Westland?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 7. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Westland's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Westland was zone 6a on the 2012 map and is zone 6b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Westland compare with Livonia, MI?
Both are in zone 6b. The typical last spring frost in Westland (Apr 28) comes about 10 days earlier than in Livonia, MI (May 8), 5 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 22 versus Oct 10. The two cities use different NOAA stations.