When to plant zucchini in zone 4b
In zone 4b, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 8, start zucchini indoors April 30 to May 14 and plant out May 28 to June 11.
The zone 4b schedule for zucchini
- Start seeds indoors
- April 30 to May 14
- Plant out
- May 28 to June 11
- Sow outdoors
- May 28 to June 11
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- May 28
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 1,164 ZIP codes in zone 4b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for zucchini.
Frost risk in zone 4b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 4b, the typical last frost ranges from about May 1 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 25 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 22 to October 8. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 26Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 8Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 22Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Zucchini are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for zucchini
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant zucchini where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Zucchini in zone 4b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | Apr 30 | Apr 25 to May 9 | May 23 to Jun 6 |
| Duluth, MN | May 6 | May 24 to Jun 7 | Jun 21 to Jul 5 |
| Lakeville, MN | May 2 | Apr 26 to May 10 | May 24 to Jun 7 |
| St. Cloud, MN | May 7 | Apr 29 to May 13 | May 27 to Jun 10 |
| Eau Claire, WI | May 8 | Apr 26 to May 10 | May 24 to Jun 7 |
| Great Falls, MT | May 19 | May 22 to Jun 5 | Jun 19 to Jul 3 |
How to grow zucchiniAll zonesZucchini in zone 4aZucchini in zone 5aAbout zone 4b
Sources
- Summer Squash (HGIC factsheet) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Summer and Winter Squash in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Squash in Iowa · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Summer Squash (Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations, section F) · University of Maryland Extension
- Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720) · Colorado State University Extension
- Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Squash, and Melons (Fact Sheet 7.609) · Colorado State University Extension
- Fall Vegetable Gardening (G1343) · University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (VH021), Table 1 · University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension