Woodbury, Minnesota: planting zone & frost dates
Woodbury 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 May 1 and the first fall frost around Oct 5.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 11 | Sep 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 1 | Oct 5 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 26 | Oct 12 |
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 ST PAUL, MN (USC00217377), 5.9 mi (9.5 km) from the city center and 82 ft lower than the city center (-25 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Woodbury
All 2 ZIP codes covering Woodbury are in zone 5a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Woodbury
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 1, first frost Oct 5). 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 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Jul 27 – Aug 24 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 8 – Jun 12 | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 8 – Jun 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 8 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 15 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Onion | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Aug 10 – Sep 7 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jul 27 – Aug 24 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Eggplant | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 27 – May 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
Nearby cities in Minnesota
- St. Paul — zone 5a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 7
- Minneapolis — zone 5a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 10
- Bloomington — zone 5a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 11
- Lakeville — zone 4b, last frost May 2, first frost Oct 4
- Brooklyn Park — zone 5a, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 2
- Plymouth — zone 5a, last frost May 4, first frost Oct 5
More: all Minnesota cities · other zone 5a cities: Minneapolis, MN, St. Paul, MN, Anchorage, AK, Sioux Falls, SD, Cedar Rapids, IA, Billings, MT, Bloomington, MN, Sioux City, IA
Woodbury gardening questions
When is the last frost in Woodbury, MN?
Plan around May 1. At NOAA's St Paul, MN station, 5.9 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 26, and after May 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 16. The 90% and 10% dates are 29 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Woodbury, MN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside May 8 – May 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 157 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 Woodbury?
About 166 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 148 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 187 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Sep 27 and a 30% chance by Oct 5. That ranks 4th longest of 9 Minnesota cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Woodbury?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 5): transplant broccoli Jul 13 – Jul 27; sow kale Jul 27 – Aug 24; sow lettuce Jul 27 – Aug 24; sow radishes Aug 24 – Sep 21. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Woodbury's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Woodbury 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 Woodbury compare with St. Paul, MN?
Both are in zone 5a. The typical last spring frost in Woodbury (May 1) comes about the same time as in St. Paul, MN (May 1), 9 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 5 versus Oct 7. The two cities use different NOAA stations.