blissgarden.

When to plant in Fergus Falls, MN

USDA Zone 4a

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

In zone 4a, Fergus Falls winters are severe; choose cold-hardy perennials and time annuals carefully around the frost dates above.

Station · FERGUS FALLS · 3.2 km
Last spring frost
May 4
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 5
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
154 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Fergus FallsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Fergus Falls: last spring frost around May 4, first fall frost around October 5, about 154 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

FERGUS FALLS · 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 Fergus Falls’s own odds, recorded at FERGUS FALLS.

Frost-probability curves for Fergus FallsProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 4 and the first fall frost around October 5, giving about 154 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 29May 14May 2Sep 13Sep 27Oct 9
32°FMay 18May 4Apr 20Sep 22Oct 5Oct 19
28°FMay 8Apr 26Apr 9Oct 1Oct 15Oct 28

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 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 13August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Beet
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Collards
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Endive
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Escarole
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Kale
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Kohlrabi
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Peas
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Radicchio
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Swiss Chard
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Turnip
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Arugula
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Bok Choy
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Chervil
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Cilantro
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Lettuce
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Mizuna
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Mustard Greens
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Radish
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Spinach
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Tatsoi
August 10September 7

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 Fergus Falls, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 34 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.

FERGUS FALLS
Primary
3 km · 381 m elevation
SPRING
May 4
FALL
Oct 5
ROTHSAY
27 km · 367 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 3
BRECKENRIDGE 3E
34 km · 296 m elevation
SPRING
May 4
FALL
Oct 3

Fergus Falls planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Fergus Falls, MN?

Plan for the last spring frost in Fergus Falls around May 4 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Fergus Falls, MN?

In Fergus Falls, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 5 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Fergus Falls in?

Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls?

Fergus Falls has about 154 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (October 5).

When should I plant tomatoes in Fergus Falls?

For Fergus Falls, sow tomatoes indoors about March 9–March 23 and move the seedlings out around May 11, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Fergus Falls

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at FERGUS FALLS, 3 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 Fergus Falls, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00212768. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/fergus-falls.
When to Plant in Fergus Falls, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4a — BlissGarden