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When to plant in Hugo, MN

USDA Zone 4b

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

These dates come from a station roughly 16 km away, the closest with full normals; terrain around Hugo (elevation, water, pavement) can move your real frost dates a few days either way. In zone 4b, Hugo winters are severe; choose cold-hardy perennials and time annuals carefully around the frost dates above.

Station · STILLWATER 2SW · 15.7 km
Last spring frost
April 30
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 11
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
164 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for HugoA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Hugo: last spring frost around April 30, first fall frost around October 11, about 164 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

STILLWATER 2SW · 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 Hugo’s own odds, recorded at STILLWATER 2SW.

Frost-probability curves for HugoProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 30 and the first fall frost around October 11, giving about 164 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 20Oct 2Oct 14
32°FMay 13Apr 30Apr 17Sep 28Oct 11Oct 23
28°FMay 2Apr 20Apr 6Oct 10Oct 23Nov 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 5July 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 19August 2
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 19August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Beet
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Collards
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Endive
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Escarole
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Kale
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Kohlrabi
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 14 days
Peas
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Radicchio
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Swiss Chard
August 2August 16
Fall sowin 14 days
Turnip
August 2August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Arugula
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Bok Choy
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Chervil
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Cilantro
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Lettuce
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Mizuna
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Mustard Greens
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Radish
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 16August 30
Fall sowin 28 days
Spinach
August 16September 13
Fall sowin 28 days
Tatsoi
August 16September 13

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 19 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.

STILLWATER 2SW
Primary
16 km · 274 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 30
FALL
Oct 11
VADNAIS LAKE
17 km · 271 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 20
STILLWATER 1 SE
19 km · 216 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 22
FALL
Oct 19

Hugo planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Hugo, MN?

On average, the last spring frost in Hugo is around April 30 (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 Hugo, MN?

The first fall frost in Hugo typically arrives around October 11 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Hugo in?

Hugo 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 Hugo?

Hugo has about 164 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 30) and first fall frost (October 11).

When should I plant tomatoes in Hugo?

For Hugo, sow tomatoes indoors about March 5–March 19 and move the seedlings out around May 7, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Hugo

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at STILLWATER 2SW, 16 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 Hugo, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00218039. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/hugo.
When to Plant in Hugo, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 4b — BlissGarden