Minnesota vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Minnesota, the average last spring frost is April 25 in Saint Paul and April 23 in Minneapolis (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Saint Paul and Minneapolis for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Minnesota, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Saint Paul
When to plant tomatoes in Saint Paul?
In Saint Paul, Minnesota, the average last spring frost is April 25 and the average first fall frost is October 12 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, ST PAUL 3SW station, 2.6 km from ZIP 55102). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 30 to June 5 and plant out seedlings May 9 to July 14, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Saint Paul (55102)
- Last spring frost: Apr 25 on average, May 9 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 12 on average, Oct 1 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 5a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Apr 25 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 9 to Apr 15 Plant out seedlings: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Mar 2 to Mar 29 Plant out seedlings: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Apr 25 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 16 to Apr 15 Plant out seedlings: Apr 11 to Apr 25 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 12 to Jul 12 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 23 to Aug 3 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 16 to May 15 Plant out seedlings: May 23 to Jul 14 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Apr 25 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 23 to Jul 4 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 23 to Aug 8 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 30 to Apr 29 Plant out seedlings: May 23 to Jul 14 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Aug 13 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 23 to Aug 13 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Jul 14 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 30 to May 29 Plant out slips: May 23 to Jun 4 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 30 to Jun 5 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 14 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 23 to Jul 4 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 29 to Aug 28 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Apr 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 20 to Sep 3 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 13 to Apr 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 5 to Aug 19 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 16 to May 15 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 5 to Sep 3 |
Minneapolis
When to plant tomatoes in Minneapolis?
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the average last spring frost is April 23 and the average first fall frost is October 16 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, LOWER ST ANTHONY FALLS station, 2 km from ZIP 55401). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 28 to June 3 and plant out seedlings May 7 to July 18, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Minneapolis (55401)
- Last spring frost: Apr 23 on average, May 7 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 16 on average, Oct 2 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 5a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Apr 23 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 7 to Apr 13 Plant out seedlings: Mar 26 to Apr 9 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 28 to Mar 27 Plant out seedlings: Mar 26 to Apr 9 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Apr 23 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 14 to Apr 13 Plant out seedlings: Apr 9 to Apr 23 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 16 to Jul 16 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Aug 7 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 14 to May 13 Plant out seedlings: May 21 to Jul 18 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 26 to Apr 9 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 26 to Apr 9 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 9 to Apr 23 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jul 8 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 21 to Aug 12 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 26 to Apr 9 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 26 to Apr 9 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 28 to Apr 27 Plant out seedlings: May 21 to Jul 18 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 26 to Apr 9 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 7 to Aug 17 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 26 to Apr 9 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Aug 17 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 7 to Jul 18 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 28 to May 27 Plant out slips: May 21 to Jun 8 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 28 to Jun 3 Plant out seedlings: May 7 to Jul 18 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jul 8 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 27 to Aug 26 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 27 to Apr 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 24 to Sep 7 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Apr 26 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 9 to Aug 23 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 14 to May 13 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 9 to Sep 7 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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