Minneapolis frost dates and planting season

Name: Minneapolis
Address: Minnesota, United States

When to plant vegetables here. Cover calendars (fleece, cold frame, unheated greenhouse) are on each plant’s when-to-plant page.

Minneapolis has a moderate growing season, with roughly 158 frost-free days between the typical frost dates. Typical last spring frost: around May 12 (half of years later). Typical first fall frost: around October 18. Plant cool-season crops after about April 27; wait until about May 18 for warm-season crops.

Frost-free days158May 12 – Oct 18

Frost-free season in Minneapolis. Based on average frost dates. Adjust a week or two for your conditions.

Cover calendars (fleece, cold frame, unheated greenhouse) live on each crop’s when-to-plant page.

Weekly possible temperature−26 – 96 °F

Frost-free days158

Typical last spring frostMay 12

Typical first fall frostOctober 18

Days suitable for warm-season vegetables147 (May 18 – October 11)

Days suitable for cool-season vegetables147 (April 27 – June 14; August 3 – November 8)

Calculated by Plan & Plant · Method · Data 2019–2026

Frost and suitability dates are typical figures from climate statistics. Microclimates vary; they are not a guarantee.

Frost dates calculated by Plan & Plant from Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Local frost pockets, valleys and coastal sites can differ by 1–3 weeks.

How we calculated this

Data: ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo, cell 45.00, -93.30, years 2019–2026 (not a 30-year climate normal yet).
Typical and safer dates: Typical last frost is the date after which half of winters in this sample had no more frost; safer is later in the sample so fewer winters still frosted.
Confidence: Provisional — short or thin sample for this place.
Full methodology (algorithm 2026-10-season-6).

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What to plant when

Cool-season vegetables

Earliest outdoor start: April 27

Suitable window: April 27 – June 14; August 3 – November 8

Cool-season crops prefer cooler weather.

Midsummer is often too hot, so suitable weeks split into more than one window.

See cool-season details

Warm-season vegetables

Earliest outdoor start: May 18

Suitable window: May 18 – October 11

Warm-season crops need mild or warm weather and cannot take frost.

Frost kills these crops, and cold snaps set them back.

See warm-season details

Green = usually good weeks to grow; blue or gray = usually too cold for that crop type.

Starter plants for Minneapolis

Cool-season

Radish Sow: April 7 – June 14 Planting dates
Arugula Sow: April 7 – June 14 Planting dates
Spinach Sow: March 31 – June 14 Planting dates
Lettuce Sow: March 31 – June 14 Planting dates
Kale Sow: April 7 – June 1 Planting dates
Beet Sow: April 14 – July 20 Planting dates

Warm-season

Zucchini Sow: May 26 – July 7 Planting dates
Cucumber Sow: May 26 – July 2 Planting dates
Green bean Sow: May 23 – July 11 Planting dates
Tomato Transplant: May 26 – June 12 Start indoors, then transplant. Planting dates
Bell pepper Transplant: May 26 – June 7 Start indoors, then transplant. Planting dates

How these dates are judged

Last frost: The typical last spring date when frost is still expected.
First frost: The typical first fall date when frost returns.
Frost-free days: The approximate days between those two dates.
Cool-season vegetables: Crops that prefer cooler weather, such as lettuce, kale, peas, and radish.
Warm-season vegetables: Crops that need warm weather and cannot take frost, such as tomato, pepper, squash, and beans.

Cool-season planting window

Apr 27 – Jun 14; Aug 3 – Nov 8 (147 days)

Warm-season planting window

May 18 – Oct 11 (147 days)

Usually too cold

January 1 – April 26
November 9 – December 31

Weekly temperatures and planting windows

Temperatures across the year for Minneapolis, with cool- and warm-season weeks and frost dates.

Possible min to max
Average min to max
Suitable
Tolerable
Too cold
Too hot

Selected week · tap a week or use the arrows

Week 18 · Apr 27 – May 3

Average 44 to 60 °F · Possible 29 to 83 °F

Cool season: tolerable

Warm season: too cold

A week is suitable for a crop type when its average low and high sit inside that type's range and its possible readings stay within the frost and heat limits (cool: 28 °F to 81 °F, warm: 32 °F to 90 °F); crossing a limit makes it tolerable, and for warm crops any chance of frost makes it too cold.

Based on average frost dates.

Minnesota, United States · 45, -93.29999 · 2026

Coldest weekly possible temperature−26 °F

Hottest weekly possible temperature96 °F

Last expected spring frostMay 12

First expected fall frostOctober 18

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