Calendars by city / MN
Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MN US (station USW00014922), not from a hardiness zone.
Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota 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 11 – Apr 25 | Aug 18 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Feb 7 – Mar 7 | Transplant: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 20 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Feb 7 – Mar 7 | Transplant: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jul 31 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Aug 8 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 21 – Mar 21 | Transplant: Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Aug 13 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 4 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 25 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 25 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jul 6 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jul 6 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Aug 8 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 20 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Jun 14 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 24 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 14 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 11 – Apr 25 | Aug 18 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Sep 4 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 25 – May 2 | Aug 11 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 18 – May 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 9 – May 23 | Jul 17 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 25 – May 2 | Jul 12 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 25 – May 2 | Aug 16 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Mar 7 – Apr 11 | Transplant: May 9 – May 23 | Aug 11 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | Transplant: May 9 – May 23 | Aug 1 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | Transplant: May 9 – May 23 | Aug 6 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 25 – May 2 | Aug 21 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 18 – May 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 9 – May 23 | Jul 2 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 18 – May 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 9 – May 23 | Jul 17 | 85 |
What the Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota frost-free season means for your choices
At 168 frost-free days, Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota 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 Mar 28 – Apr 11 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 9 – May 23; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 21 – Apr 18.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Minneapolis, MN planting questions
When is the last frost in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MN US is Apr 25, 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 15.
When can I plant tomatoes in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota?
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 9 – May 23 in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota. Start the seeds indoors Mar 21 – Apr 18, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota?
Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota averages 168 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 25 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 10 at MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MN US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Feb 7 – Mar 7. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 28 – Apr 11 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 Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 10, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MN US (USW00014922) |
|---|---|
| Location | 44.8831, -93.2289 · elevation 265.8 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 25 / Apr 15 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 10 / Oct 22 |
| 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
- Madison, Wisconsin — last spring frost May 2
- Des Moines, Iowa — last spring frost Apr 17
- Omaha, Nebraska — last spring frost Apr 21
- Chicago, Illinois — last spring frost Apr 22
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.