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When to plant in Hopkins, MN

USDA Zone 5a

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

Zone 5a means Hopkins sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · NEW HOPE · 9.6 km
Last spring frost
April 29
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 12
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 HopkinsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Hopkins: last spring frost around April 29, first fall frost around October 12, about 166 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average first fall frost in Hopkins is now 5 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

NEW HOPE · 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 Hopkins’s own odds, recorded at NEW HOPE.

Frost-probability curves for HopkinsProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 29 and the first fall frost around October 12, 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 23May 8Apr 26Sep 19Oct 1Oct 14
32°FMay 12Apr 29Apr 15Sep 29Oct 12Oct 25
28°FMay 1Apr 19Apr 5Oct 8Oct 22Nov 4

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
Rutabaga
July 6July 20
Fall sowin 1 days
Broccoli
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cabbage
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Carrot
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cauliflower
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Napa Cabbage
July 20August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Beet
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Collards
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Endive
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Escarole
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Kale
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Kohlrabi
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Peas
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Radicchio
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Swiss Chard
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Turnip
August 3August 31

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 14 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.

NEW HOPE
Primary
10 km · 277 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 29
FALL
Oct 12
MPLS FLYING CLOUD AP
12 km · 277 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 14
LOWER ST ANTHONY FALLS
14 km · 230 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 16

Hopkins planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Hopkins, MN?

Plan for the last spring frost in Hopkins around April 29 (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 Hopkins, MN?

Expect Hopkins's first fall frost near October 12 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Hopkins in?

Hopkins 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 Hopkins?

There are roughly 166 frost-free days in Hopkins (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 29 to the first fall frost near October 12.

When should I plant tomatoes in Hopkins?

In Hopkins, start tomato seeds indoors around March 4–March 18, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 6 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Hopkins

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at NEW HOPE, 10 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 Hopkins, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00215838. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/hopkins.
When to Plant in Hopkins, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 5a — BlissGarden