When to plant in Brainerd, MN
USDA Zone 4aBrainerd, Minnesota frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
Zone 4a is cold — in Brainerd, most perennials must be fully hardy, and your frost dates set a tight window for tender annual vegetables.
The average first fall frost in Brainerd is now 6 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
BRAINERD · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Brainerd’s own odds, recorded at BRAINERD.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Jun 1 | May 19 | May 5 | Sep 6 | Sep 20 | Oct 1 |
| 32°F | May 21 | May 8 | Apr 28 | Sep 16 | Sep 29 | Oct 11 |
| 28°F | May 11 | Apr 30 | Apr 17 | Sep 25 | Oct 8 | Oct 23 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Brainerd, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 14 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Brainerd planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Brainerd, MN?
Brainerd's average last spring frost falls near May 8 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in Brainerd, MN?
In Brainerd, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around September 29 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Brainerd in?
Brainerd is in USDA hardiness zone 4a. In zone 4a, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.
How long is the growing season in Brainerd?
There are roughly 144 frost-free days in Brainerd (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around May 8 to the first fall frost near September 29.
When should I plant tomatoes in Brainerd?
In Brainerd, start tomato seeds indoors around March 13–March 27, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 15 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Brainerd
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Brainerd’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Sartell · 82 km
- Sauk Rapids · 85 km
- St. Cloud · 92 km
- Alexandria · 105 km
- Grand Rapids · 111 km
- Cambridge · 116 km
- Big Lake · 118 km
- Monticello · 122 km
Frost dates recorded at BRAINERD, 2 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Brainerd, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00210939. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/brainerd.