blissgarden.

When to plant in Farmington, MN

USDA Zone 5a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Farmington, Minnesota — all computed from Farmington's nearest NOAA weather station.

In zone 5a, Farmington gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · FARMINGTON 3 NW · 1.2 km
Last spring frost
April 27
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 10
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
166 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for FarmingtonA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Farmington: last spring frost around April 27, first fall frost around October 10, about 166 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

FARMINGTON 3 NW · 1991–2020

The 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 Farmington’s own odds, recorded at FARMINGTON 3 NW.

Frost-probability curves for FarmingtonProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 27 and the first fall frost around October 10, giving about 166 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 21May 7Apr 23Sep 20Oct 2Oct 15
32°FMay 10Apr 27Apr 12Sep 27Oct 10Oct 25
28°FApr 29Apr 15Apr 2Oct 7Oct 22Nov 5

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 18August 1
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 18August 1
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 18August 1
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 18August 1
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 18August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Beet
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Collards
August 1August 29
Fall sowin 13 days
Endive
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Escarole
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Kale
August 1August 29
Fall sowin 13 days
Kohlrabi
August 1August 29
Fall sowin 13 days
Peas
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Radicchio
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Swiss Chard
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Turnip
August 1August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Arugula
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Bok Choy
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Chervil
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Cilantro
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Lettuce
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Mizuna
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Mustard Greens
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Radish
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Spinach
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Tatsoi
August 15September 12

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Farmington, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 25 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

FARMINGTON 3 NW
Primary
1 km · 299 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 27
FALL
Oct 10
ROSEMOUNT RSCH & OUTREACH CTR
8 km · 288 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 5
MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL AP
25 km · 266 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 18

Farmington planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Farmington, MN?

Farmington's average last spring frost falls near April 27 — 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 Farmington, MN?

In Farmington, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 10 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Farmington in?

Farmington is in USDA hardiness zone 5a. In zone 5a, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Farmington?

Farmington has about 166 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 27) and first fall frost (October 10).

When should I plant tomatoes in Farmington?

For Farmington, sow tomatoes indoors about March 2–March 16 and move the seedlings out around May 4, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Farmington

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Farmington’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at FARMINGTON 3 NW, 1 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Farmington, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00212737. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/farmington.
When to Plant in Farmington, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 5a — BlissGarden