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When to plant in Hermantown, MN

USDA Zone 4b

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

Zone 4b is cold — in Hermantown, most perennials must be fully hardy, and your frost dates set a tight window for tender annual vegetables.

Station · DULUTH NWS · 4.5 km
Last spring frost
May 18
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 1
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
136 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for HermantownA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Hermantown: last spring frost around May 18, first fall frost around October 1, about 136 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

DULUTH NWS · 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 Hermantown’s own odds, recorded at DULUTH NWS.

Frost-probability curves for HermantownProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 18 and the first fall frost around October 1, giving about 136 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°FJun 17Jun 1May 16Sep 8Sep 22Oct 4
32°FJun 3May 18May 2Sep 19Oct 1Oct 14
28°FMay 21May 4Apr 22Sep 29Oct 12Oct 27

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 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 9August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Beet
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Collards
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Endive
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Escarole
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Kale
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Kohlrabi
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Peas
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Radicchio
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Swiss Chard
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Turnip
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Arugula
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Bok Choy
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Chervil
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Cilantro
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Lettuce
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Mizuna
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Mustard Greens
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Radish
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Spinach
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Tatsoi
August 6September 3

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 12 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.

DULUTH NWS
Primary
4 km · 437 m elevation
SPRING
May 18
FALL
Oct 1
DULUTH
5 km · 435 m elevation
SPRING
May 13
FALL
Oct 1
DULUTH HARBOR STN
12 km · 186 m elevation
SPRING
May 14
FALL
Oct 12

Hermantown planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Hermantown, MN?

On average, the last spring frost in Hermantown is around May 18 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Hermantown, MN?

Expect Hermantown's first fall frost near October 1 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Hermantown in?

Hermantown is in USDA hardiness zone 4b. In zone 4b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Hermantown?

There are roughly 136 frost-free days in Hermantown (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around May 18 to the first fall frost near October 1.

When should I plant tomatoes in Hermantown?

In Hermantown, start tomato seeds indoors around March 23–April 6, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 25 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Hermantown

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at DULUTH NWS, 4 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 Hermantown, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00212250. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/hermantown.
When to Plant in Hermantown, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4b — BlissGarden