Minneapolis, Minnesota: planting zone & frost dates
Minneapolis is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5a, where the average coldest winter night reaches -20 to -15°F (-28.9 to -26.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 30 and the first fall frost around Oct 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 7 | Oct 2 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 10 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 23 | Oct 16 |
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 LOWER ST ANTHONY FALLS, MN (USC00214884), 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from the city center and 112 ft lower than the city center (-34 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Minneapolis
All 21 ZIP codes covering Minneapolis are in zone 5a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Minneapolis
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 10). 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 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 1 – Aug 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 7 – Jun 11 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 7 – Jun 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 7 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Cucumber | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 14 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Onion | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | May 14 – Jun 4 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Aug 15 – Sep 12 |
| Kale | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 1 – Aug 29 |
| Broccoli | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Eggplant | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 26 – May 14 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
Nearby cities in Minnesota
- Bloomington — zone 5a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 11
- St. Paul — zone 5a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 7
- Brooklyn Park — zone 5a, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 2
- Plymouth — zone 5a, last frost May 4, first frost Oct 5
- Lakeville — zone 4b, last frost May 2, first frost Oct 4
- Woodbury — zone 5a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 5
More: all Minnesota cities · other zone 5a cities: St. Paul, MN, Anchorage, AK, Sioux Falls, SD, Cedar Rapids, IA, Billings, MT, Bloomington, MN, Sioux City, IA, Brooklyn Park, MN
Minneapolis gardening questions
When is the last frost in Minneapolis, MN?
Plan around Apr 30. At NOAA's Lower St Anthony Falls, MN station, 1.5 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 23, and after May 7 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 14. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 27 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Minneapolis, MN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 5 – Mar 19 and set transplants outside May 7 – May 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 163 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 Minneapolis?
About 175 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 155 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 192 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 2 and a 30% chance by Oct 10. That ranks 2nd longest of 9 Minnesota cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Minneapolis?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 10): transplant broccoli Jul 18 – Aug 1; sow kale Aug 1 – Aug 29; sow lettuce Aug 1 – Aug 29; sow radishes Aug 29 – Sep 26. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 27. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Minneapolis's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Minneapolis was zone 4b on the 2012 map and is zone 5a 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 Minneapolis compare with St. Paul, MN?
Both are in zone 5a. The typical last spring frost in Minneapolis (Apr 30) comes about the same time as in St. Paul, MN (May 1), 8 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 10 versus Oct 7. The two cities use different NOAA stations.