Calendars by city / WI
Madison, Wisconsin vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Madison, Wisconsin built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at MADISON DANE CO REGIONAL AIRPORT, WI US (station USW00014837), not from a hardiness zone.
Madison, Wisconsin planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 13 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Transplant: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 15 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Transplant: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Jul 26 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 3 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | Transplant: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 8 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 30 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 20 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 20 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Jul 1 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Jul 1 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 3 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 15 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 9 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Sep 19 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Sep 9 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 13 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Aug 30 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: May 2 – May 9 | Aug 6 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 25 – May 16 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 16 – May 30 | Jul 12 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: May 2 – May 9 | Jul 7 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 2 – May 9 | Aug 11 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | Transplant: May 16 – May 30 | Aug 6 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | Transplant: May 16 – May 30 | Jul 27 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | Transplant: May 16 – May 30 | Aug 1 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 2 – May 9 | Aug 16 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 25 – May 16 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 16 – May 30 | No separate fall sowing | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 25 – May 16 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 16 – May 30 | Jul 12 | 85 |
What the Madison, Wisconsin frost-free season means for your choices
At 156 frost-free days, Madison, Wisconsin gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Apr 4 – Apr 18 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 16 – May 30; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 28 – Apr 25.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Madison, WI planting questions
When is the last frost in Madison, Wisconsin?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at MADISON DANE CO REGIONAL AIRPORT, WI US is May 2, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 22.
When can I plant tomatoes in Madison, Wisconsin?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: May 16 – May 30 in Madison, Wisconsin. Start the seeds indoors Mar 28 – Apr 25, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Madison, Wisconsin?
Madison, Wisconsin averages 156 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on May 2 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 5 at MADISON DANE CO REGIONAL AIRPORT, WI US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Madison, Wisconsin?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Feb 14 – Mar 14. Hardy crops are transplanted out Apr 4 – Apr 18 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Madison, Wisconsin?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 20 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 5, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | MADISON DANE CO REGIONAL AIRPORT, WI US (USW00014837) |
|---|---|
| Location | 43.1405, -89.3452 · elevation 264 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | May 2 / Apr 22 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 5 / Oct 17 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Chicago, Illinois — last spring frost Apr 22
- Grand Rapids, Michigan — last spring frost Apr 28
- Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota — last spring frost Apr 25
- Des Moines, Iowa — last spring frost Apr 17
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.