When to plant strawberries in zone 5a
In zone 5a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 3, plant out March 22 to April 5.
The zone 5a schedule for strawberries
- Plant out
- March 22 to April 5
- First harvest, roughly
- June 20 to July 24
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,200 ZIP codes in zone 5a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for strawberries.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 5a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 27 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 21 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 25 to October 13. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 3Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 17Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for strawberries
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant strawberries where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Strawberries in zone 5a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 26 | — |
| St. Paul, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 26 | — |
| Anchorage, AK | May 5 | Mar 24 to Apr 7 | — |
| Sioux Falls, SD | May 1 | Mar 20 to Apr 3 | — |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Apr 28 | Mar 17 to 31 | — |
| Billings, MT | May 10 | Mar 29 to Apr 12 | — |
| Bloomington, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 26 | — |
| Sioux City, IA | Apr 29 | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | — |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Apr 30 | Mar 19 to Apr 2 | — |
| Woodbury, MN | Apr 24 | Mar 13 to 27 | — |
| Plymouth, MN | Apr 29 | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | — |
| Blaine, MN | Apr 30 | Mar 19 to Apr 2 | — |
How to grow strawberriesAll zonesStrawberries in zone 4bStrawberries in zone 5bAbout zone 5a
Sources
- Growing Strawberries in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Planting Strawberries in the Home Garden · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Strawberries (MF598) · Kansas State University Research and Extension
- Strawberries - Gardening Solutions · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- If Summer's End Has You In A Jam, Plant Strawberries Now · Texas A&M AgriLife
- Strawberries: Time to Plant · UC Statewide IPM Program, University of California ANR
- Fragaria x ananassa (Plant Toolbox) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox