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When to plant in Holmen, WI

USDA Zone 5a

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

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

Station · LA CROSSE MUNI AP · 10.3 km
Last spring frost
April 23
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 17
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
177 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for HolmenA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Holmen: last spring frost around April 23, first fall frost around October 17, about 177 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average first fall frost in Holmen is now 6 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

LA CROSSE MUNI AP · 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 Holmen’s own odds, recorded at LA CROSSE MUNI AP.

Frost-probability curves for HolmenProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 23 and the first fall frost around October 17, giving about 177 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 17May 4Apr 21Sep 24Oct 6Oct 21
32°FMay 6Apr 23Apr 9Oct 3Oct 17Nov 1
28°FApr 27Apr 12Mar 31Oct 15Oct 28Nov 11

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 11July 25
Fall sowin 6 days
Broccoli
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Cabbage
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Carrot
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Cauliflower
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 6 days
Napa Cabbage
July 25August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Beet
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Collards
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Endive
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Escarole
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Kale
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Kohlrabi
August 8September 5
Fall sowin 20 days
Peas
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Radicchio
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Swiss Chard
August 8August 22
Fall sowin 20 days
Turnip
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 Holmen, 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.

LA CROSSE MUNI AP
Primary
10 km · 199 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 17
LA CRESCENT DAM 7
12 km · 197 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 15
FALL
Oct 28
TREMPEALEAU DAM 6
14 km · 201 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 29
FALL
Oct 11

Holmen planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Holmen, WI?

Plan for the last spring frost in Holmen around April 23 (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 Holmen, WI?

The first fall frost in Holmen typically arrives around October 17 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Holmen in?

Holmen 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 Holmen?

There are roughly 177 frost-free days in Holmen (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 23 to the first fall frost near October 17.

When should I plant tomatoes in Holmen?

In Holmen, start tomato seeds indoors around February 26–March 12, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 30 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Holmen

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LA CROSSE MUNI AP, 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 Holmen, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00014920. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/wisconsin/holmen.
When to Plant in Holmen, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 5a — BlissGarden