In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Minneapolis planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 21 – Apr 25 | May 16 – Jul 26 plant out | Jul 15 – Oct 9 |
| Pepper | Mar 17 – Apr 21 | May 26 – Jul 23 plant out | Jul 24 – Oct 9 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 22 – Apr 26 | May 31 – Jul 19 plant out | Jul 30 – Oct 9 |
| Cucumber | Apr 23 – May 20 | May 21 – Aug 6 sow | Jul 7 – Oct 9 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 18 – May 15 | May 16 – Aug 9 sow | Jul 1 – Oct 9 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 18 – May 15 | May 16 – Jul 9 sow | Aug 5 – Oct 17 |
| Watermelon | May 3 – May 30 | May 31 – Jul 18 sow | Aug 3 – Oct 9 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 7 – Jul 22 sow | Jul 18 – Oct 9 |
| Green beans | – | May 16 – Aug 6 sow | Jul 4 – Oct 9 |
| Peas | – | Apr 8 – Apr 17, Aug 3 – Aug 21 sow | Jun 16 – Jul 15, Sep 21 – Oct 25 |
| Lettuce | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | Apr 4 – May 10, Jul 25 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 4 – Jul 16, Aug 31 – Oct 28 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 31 – May 5, Aug 25 – Sep 6 sow | May 31 – Jul 9, Oct 1 – Nov 17 |
| Kale | Feb 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 4 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 12 – Dec 2 |
| Cabbage | Feb 22 – Mar 29, Apr 28 – Jun 2 | Apr 12 – May 16, Jun 16 – Aug 15 plant out | Jun 24 – Aug 8, Aug 10 – Nov 8 |
| Broccoli | Feb 22 – Mar 29, May 4 – Jun 8 | Apr 12 – May 22, Jun 22 – Aug 22 plant out | Jun 17 – Aug 6, Aug 9 – Nov 1 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 12 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 20 – Dec 2 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 12 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 13 – Nov 8 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 4 – May 26, Aug 8 – Sep 19 sow | May 18 – Jun 29, Aug 29 – Nov 1 |
| Onions | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Apr 8 – Jul 24 plant out | Jul 12 – Oct 18 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 2 – Nov 1 sow | Jun 2 – Jun 22 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 16 – Jul 28 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 18 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 16 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 11 – Nov 8 |
| Basil | Apr 14 – May 12 | May 26 – Aug 24 plant out | Jun 22 – Oct 9 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 12 – May 17, Aug 2 – Sep 10 sow | May 29 – Jul 14, Sep 1 – Nov 1 |
| Parsley | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 16 – Aug 15 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 17 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Minneapolis
- Average last spring frost
- April 23
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 7
- Average first autumn frost
- October 18
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 1
- Frost-free growing season
- 177 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl Ap (11 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -27°C-17°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 29°C85°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -14°C7°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4°C25°F | -14°C7°F | -9°C16°F | 20 mm0.8 in |
| February | -1°C30°F | -11°C11°F | -6°C21°F | 23 mm0.9 in |
| March | 6°C43°F | -4°C24°F | 1°C34°F | 42 mm1.7 in |
| April | 15°C58°F | 3°C37°F | 9°C48°F | 62 mm2.4 in |
| May | 22°C71°F | 9°C49°F | 16°C60°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| June | 27°C81°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C70°F | 113 mm4.4 in |
| July | 29°C85°F | 18°C64°F | 23°C74°F | 90 mm3.5 in |
| August | 28°C82°F | 16°C61°F | 22°C72°F | 96 mm3.8 in |
| September | 23°C74°F | 12°C53°F | 18°C64°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| October | 16°C60°F | 4°C40°F | 10°C50°F | 59 mm2.3 in |
| November | 6°C43°F | -3°C27°F | 2°C35°F | 40 mm1.6 in |
| December | -2°C29°F | -10°C14°F | -6°C22°F | 30 mm1.2 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).