Bloomington, Minnesota planting calendar and frost dates
Bloomington is in USDA hardiness zone 5a. The last spring frost typically comes around April 23 and the first fall frost around October 14, giving about 172 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 5a
- Typical last frost
- April 23
- Typical first frost
- October 14
- Frost-free season
- 172 days
Frost dates in Bloomington
Last spring frost
- April 9Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- April 23Typical: a later frost in half of years
- May 6Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- September 28Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- October 14Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- October 28Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 172 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around April 13 and returns around October 25.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mpls Flying Cloud Airport, 4.2 miles W of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.
What to plant each month in Bloomington
January
Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus
February
Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons
March
Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes
Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, onions, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers
April
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
May
Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
June
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass
July
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass
Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard
August
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips
September
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tulips
October
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Bloomington
Bloomington's 5 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 2 different NOAA stations. Every one of them is in zone 5a.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55420 | 5a | Minneapolis/St Paul Airport, 4 mi NE | Apr 23 | Oct 18 |
| 55425 | 5a | Minneapolis/St Paul Airport, 2.2 mi N | Apr 23 | Oct 18 |
| 55431 | 5a | Minneapolis/St Paul Airport, 5.8 mi NE | Apr 23 | Oct 18 |
| 55437 | 5a | Minneapolis/St Paul Airport, 6.9 mi NE | Apr 23 | Oct 18 |
| 55438 | 5a | Mpls Flying Cloud Airport, 4.2 mi W | Apr 23 | Oct 14 |
Mpls Flying Cloud Airport also supplies the frost dates for Eden Prairie and Minnetonka, so their planting calendars match Bloomington's.
Planting dates for popular crops in Bloomington
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 22 to Apr 5 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Strawberries | — | Mar 12 to 26 | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 26 to Mar 12 | Apr 16 to 30 | Jul 15 to Aug 19 |
| Cilantro | Mar 12 to 26 | Apr 23 to 30 | — |
| Basil | Mar 29 to Apr 12 | May 17 to 24 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Apr 22 to 29 | — |
| Garlic | — | Mar 12 to 26 | Oct 14 to 28 |
| Onions | Jan 1 to Feb 12 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | — |
| Cucumbers | Apr 19 to May 3 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Pumpkins | Apr 19 to May 3 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Peppers | Mar 1 to 29 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Carrots | — | Apr 2 to 23 | Jul 22 to Aug 12 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Jun 1 to 8 | — |
| Watermelons | Apr 12 to 26 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Apr 23 to May 7 | — |
| Green Beans | — | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Zucchini | Apr 19 to May 3 | May 17 to 31 | — |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 to 26 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Jul 29 to Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | Mar 12 to 26 | Jul 22 to Aug 5 |
| Spinach | Mar 12 to 19 | Apr 16 to 30 | Aug 5 to Sep 9 |
| Sunflowers | — | Apr 23 to May 14 | — |
| Zinnias | May 21 to 28 | Jun 18 to Jul 2 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Sep 2 to Oct 28 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Sep 2 to Oct 14 |
| Grass Seed | — | Mar 12 to 26 | Sep 2 to 16 |
Nearby cities
- Edina, MN zone 5a, last frost Apr 23
- Burnsville, MN zone 5a, last frost Apr 23
- Eden Prairie, MN zone 5a, last frost Apr 23
- Eagan, MN zone 5a, last frost Apr 23
- Apple Valley, MN zone 5a, last frost May 2
- St. Louis Park, MN zone 5a, last frost Apr 29
Planting in MinnesotaAbout zone 5aPrintable calendar for Bloomington
Questions
When is the last frost in Bloomington?
Around April 23 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Mpls Flying Cloud Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 6.
What planting zone is Bloomington in?
USDA hardiness zone 5a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Bloomington?
Start seeds indoors March 22 to April 5 and set plants out May 17 to 31.
When is the first frost in Bloomington?
Around October 14 in a typical year, and before September 28 about 1 year in 10.