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When to plant in Marshall, MN

USDA Zone 5a

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Marshall, Minnesota — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

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

Station · MARSHALL · 2.5 km
Last spring frost
May 5
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 3
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
151 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for MarshallA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Marshall: last spring frost around May 5, first fall frost around October 3, about 151 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

MARSHALL · 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 Marshall’s own odds, recorded at MARSHALL.

Frost-probability curves for MarshallProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 5 and the first fall frost around October 3, giving about 151 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 28May 13May 1Sep 12Sep 25Oct 8
32°FMay 18May 5Apr 21Sep 21Oct 3Oct 17
28°FMay 9Apr 27Apr 12Sep 30Oct 13Oct 26

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 11July 25
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 11July 25
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 11July 25
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 11July 25
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 11August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Beet
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Collards
July 25August 22
Fall sowin 6 days
Endive
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Escarole
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Kale
July 25August 22
Fall sowin 6 days
Kohlrabi
July 25August 22
Fall sowin 6 days
Peas
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Radicchio
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Swiss Chard
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Turnip
July 25August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Arugula
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Bok Choy
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Chervil
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Cilantro
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Lettuce
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Mizuna
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Mustard Greens
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Radish
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Spinach
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Tatsoi
August 8September 5

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 44 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.

MARSHALL
Primary
3 km · 350 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 3
TRACY
26 km · 428 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 5
LAMBERTON SW RSCH & OUTREACH C
44 km · 348 m elevation
SPRING
May 3
FALL
Oct 2

Marshall planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Marshall, MN?

On average, the last spring frost in Marshall is around May 5 (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 Marshall, MN?

In Marshall, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 3 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Marshall in?

Marshall 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 Marshall?

There are roughly 151 frost-free days in Marshall (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 5 to the first fall frost near October 3.

When should I plant tomatoes in Marshall?

In Marshall, start tomato seeds indoors around March 10–March 24, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 12 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Marshall

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at MARSHALL, 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 Marshall, MN — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00215204. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/minnesota/marshall.