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When to plant in Fond du Lac, WI

USDA Zone 5b

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

In zone 5b, Fond du Lac gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · FOND DU LAC 2 SW · 2.2 km
Last spring frost
April 27
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 19
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
175 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Fond du LacA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Fond du Lac: last spring frost around April 27, first fall frost around October 19, about 175 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

FOND DU LAC 2 SW · 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 Fond du Lac’s own odds, recorded at FOND DU LAC 2 SW.

Frost-probability curves for Fond du LacProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 27 and the first fall frost around October 19, giving about 175 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 21May 7Apr 24Sep 23Oct 6Oct 21
32°FMay 11Apr 27Apr 13Oct 2Oct 19Nov 1
28°FApr 28Apr 15Apr 2Oct 16Oct 31Nov 13

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 13July 27
Fall sowin 8 days
Broccoli
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Cabbage
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Carrot
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Cauliflower
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Napa Cabbage
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Beet
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Collards
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Endive
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Escarole
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Kale
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Kohlrabi
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Peas
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Radicchio
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Swiss Chard
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Turnip
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 Fond du Lac, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 4 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.

FOND DU LAC 2 SW
Primary
2 km · 235 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 27
FALL
Oct 19
FOND DU LAC WWTP
3 km · 229 m elevation
SPRING
May 1
FALL
Oct 12
FOND DU LAC CO AP
4 km · 247 m elevation
SPRING
May 1
FALL
Oct 10

Fond du Lac planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Fond du Lac, WI?

Plan for the last spring frost in Fond du Lac around April 27 (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 Fond du Lac, WI?

The first fall frost in Fond du Lac typically arrives around October 19 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Fond du Lac in?

Fond du Lac is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Fond du Lac?

Fond du Lac has about 175 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 27) and first fall frost (October 19).

When should I plant tomatoes in Fond du Lac?

For Fond du Lac, sow tomatoes indoors about March 2–March 16 and move the seedlings out around May 4, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Fond du Lac

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at FOND DU LAC 2 SW, 2 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 Fond du Lac, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00472842. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/wisconsin/fond-du-lac.
When to Plant in Fond du Lac, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden