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When to plant in Wisconsin Rapids, WI

USDA Zone 4b

Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

In zone 4b, Wisconsin Rapids winters are severe; choose cold-hardy perennials and time annuals carefully around the frost dates above.

Station · WISCONSIN RAPIDS · 1.8 km
Last spring frost
May 9
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
September 30
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
144 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Wisconsin RapidsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Wisconsin Rapids: last spring frost around May 9, first fall frost around September 30, about 144 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

WISCONSIN RAPIDS · 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 Wisconsin Rapids’s own odds, recorded at WISCONSIN RAPIDS.

Frost-probability curves for Wisconsin RapidsProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 9 and the first fall frost around September 30, giving about 144 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°FJun 3May 21May 7Sep 8Sep 21Oct 4
32°FMay 24May 9Apr 26Sep 17Sep 30Oct 13
28°FMay 14Apr 30Apr 15Sep 25Oct 10Oct 24

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 8July 22
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 8July 22
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 8July 22
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 8July 22
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 8August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Beet
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Collards
July 22August 19
Fall sowin 3 days
Endive
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Escarole
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Kale
July 22August 19
Fall sowin 3 days
Kohlrabi
July 22August 19
Fall sowin 3 days
Peas
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Radicchio
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Swiss Chard
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Turnip
July 22August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Arugula
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Bok Choy
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Chervil
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Cilantro
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Lettuce
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Mizuna
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Mustard Greens
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Radish
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Spinach
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Tatsoi
August 5September 2

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 23 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.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS
Primary
2 km · 315 m elevation
SPRING
May 9
FALL
Sep 30
WISCONSIN RAPIDS ALEXANDER FLD
4 km · 311 m elevation
SPRING
May 8
FALL
Oct 1
STEVENS PT
23 km · 329 m elevation
SPRING
May 4
FALL
Oct 7

Wisconsin Rapids planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Wisconsin Rapids, WI?

Plan for the last spring frost in Wisconsin Rapids around May 9 (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 Wisconsin Rapids, WI?

Expect Wisconsin Rapids's first fall frost near September 30 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Wisconsin Rapids in?

Wisconsin Rapids 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 Wisconsin Rapids?

Wisconsin Rapids has about 144 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 9) and first fall frost (September 30).

When should I plant tomatoes in Wisconsin Rapids?

For Wisconsin Rapids, sow tomatoes indoors about March 14–March 28 and move the seedlings out around May 16, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Wisconsin Rapids

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at WISCONSIN RAPIDS, 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 Wisconsin Rapids, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 4b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00479335. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/wisconsin/wisconsin-rapids.
When to Plant in Wisconsin Rapids, WI — Frost Dates & Zone 4b — BlissGarden