Lakeville, Minnesota: planting zone & frost dates
Lakeville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 4b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -25 to -20°F (-31.7 to -28.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 2 and the first fall frost around Oct 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 10 | Sep 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 2 | Oct 4 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 27 | Oct 10 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station FARMINGTON 3 NW, MN (USC00212737), 4.0 mi (6.5 km) from the city center and 112 ft lower than the city center (-34 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 19 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lakeville
Lakeville spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 3 ZIP codes): 4b (91%), 5a (9%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lakeville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 2, first frost Oct 4). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 9 – May 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | May 16 – May 30 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Apr 18 – May 9 | Apr 4 – May 16 | Jul 26 – Aug 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 9 – Jun 13 | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 9 – Jun 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | May 9 – May 23 | May 9 – May 30 | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Cucumber | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | May 16 – May 23 | May 9 – May 30 | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 11 – May 16 | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Onion | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – May 30 | May 16 – Jun 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | Aug 9 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Jul 26 – Aug 23 |
| Broccoli | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 9 | — | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Eggplant | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | May 16 – May 30 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | — | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 28 – May 16 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 11 – May 23 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
Nearby cities in Minnesota
- Bloomington — zone 5a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 11
- Minneapolis — zone 5a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 10
- St. Paul — zone 5a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 7
- Woodbury — zone 5a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 5
- Plymouth — zone 5a, last frost May 4, first frost Oct 5
- Brooklyn Park — zone 5a, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 2
More: all Minnesota cities · other zone 4b cities: Rochester, MN, Duluth, MN
Lakeville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lakeville, MN?
Plan around May 2. At NOAA's Farmington 3 NW, MN station, 4.0 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 27, and after May 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 15. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 28 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Lakeville, MN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 7 – Mar 21 and set transplants outside May 9 – May 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 155 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Lakeville?
About 166 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 147 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 186 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Sep 27 and a 30% chance by Oct 4. That ranks 5th longest of 9 Minnesota cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lakeville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 4): transplant broccoli Jul 12 – Jul 26; sow kale Jul 26 – Aug 23; sow lettuce Jul 26 – Aug 23; sow radishes Aug 23 – Sep 20. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lakeville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Lakeville is zone 4b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Lakeville in zone 4b?
No. Zone 4b covers about 91% of the city's land; the rest is in 5a (9%), measured across the city's 3 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.