When to plant in Chatfield, MN
Planting dates worked out from Chatfield's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 21
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 12
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 29
1 year in 10 by Sep 15
Frost-free days
140
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Preston · 21.3 km away · station 284 m, town 308 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 15 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 20 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | May 24 |
| Peas | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | Jun 4 |
| Bush beans | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 3 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 20 – Jun 1 | Jun 9 |
| Potato | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 30 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | May 30 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – May 5 | Jun 13 |
| Cucumber | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 10 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 5 |
| Winter squash | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Aug 9 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 13 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 14 – May 5 | Jul 13 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 15 – Oct 13 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | May 18 |
| Basil | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 17 |
Chatfield's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1953 | May 13 |
| 1954 | May 20 |
| 1955 | May 8 |
| 1957 | May 6 |
| 1958 | May 23 |
| 1959 | May 16 |
| 1960 | May 12 |
| 1961 | May 26 |
| 1962 | May 2 |
| 1963 | May 22 |
| 1964 | Apr 25 |
| 1965 | May 30 |
| 1966 | May 31 |
| 1967 | May 22 |
| 1968 | May 17 |
| 1969 | May 12 |
| 1970 | May 17 |
| 1971 | May 28 |
| 1973 | May 17 |
| 1974 | May 13 |
| 1975 | May 16 |
| 1976 | May 18 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 10 |
| 1979 | May 25 |
| 1980 | May 16 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 1 |
| 1983 | May 26 |
| 1984 | May 29 |
| 1985 | May 2 |
| 1986 | May 22 |
| 1987 | Jun 5 |
| 1989 | Jun 16 |
| 1990 | May 11 |
| 1991 | May 2 |
| 1993 | May 16 |
| 1994 | May 6 |
| 1995 | May 6 |
| 1996 | May 13 |
| 1997 | May 21 |
| 1998 | Apr 29 |
| 1999 | May 9 |
| 2000 | May 19 |
| 2001 | Apr 18 |
| 2002 | May 21 |
| 2003 | May 26 |
| 2004 | May 15 |
| 2005 | May 16 |
| 2006 | May 22 |
| 2007 | May 17 |
| 2008 | May 21 |
| 2009 | May 17 |
| 2010 | May 9 |
| 2011 | May 17 |
| 2012 | Apr 27 |
| 2013 | May 13 |
| 2014 | May 18 |
| 2015 | May 13 |
| 2016 | May 18 |
| 2017 | May 4 |
| 2018 | Apr 29 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | May 29 |
| 2022 | May 24 |
| 2023 | May 3 |
| 2024 | May 10 |
| 2025 | Apr 27 |
| 2026 | May 12 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 122 |
| 1954 | 125 |
| 1955 | 125 |
| 1957 | 143 |
| 1958 | 127 |
| 1959 | 117 |
| 1960 | 143 |
| 1961 | 119 |
| 1962 | 140 |
| 1964 | 140 |
| 1965 | 118 |
| 1966 | 106 |
| 1967 | 100 |
| 1968 | 130 |
| 1969 | 119 |
| 1970 | 131 |
| 1971 | 111 |
| 1973 | 123 |
| 1974 | 112 |
| 1975 | 118 |
| 1976 | 114 |
| 1977 | 144 |
| 1978 | 140 |
| 1979 | 119 |
| 1980 | 123 |
| 1981 | 131 |
| 1982 | 142 |
| 1983 | 118 |
| 1984 | 109 |
| 1985 | 133 |
| 1986 | 107 |
| 1989 | 98 |
| 1990 | 141 |
| 1991 | 140 |
| 1993 | 136 |
| 1994 | 156 |
| 1995 | 138 |
| 1996 | 123 |
| 1997 | 145 |
| 1998 | 161 |
| 1999 | 134 |
| 2000 | 128 |
| 2001 | 159 |
| 2002 | 125 |
| 2004 | 136 |
| 2005 | 144 |
| 2006 | 120 |
| 2007 | 120 |
| 2008 | 133 |
| 2009 | 145 |
| 2010 | 146 |
| 2011 | 120 |
| 2012 | 148 |
| 2013 | 152 |
| 2014 | 117 |
| 2015 | 139 |
| 2016 | 142 |
| 2017 | 164 |
| 2020 | 141 |
| 2021 | 140 |
| 2022 | 126 |
| 2023 | 158 |
| 2024 | 149 |
| 2025 | 163 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 16.6 °C |
| 1954 | 17.1 °C |
| 1955 | 18.8 °C |
| 1957 | 17.0 °C |
| 1958 | 16.4 °C |
| 1959 | 17.4 °C |
| 1960 | 16.6 °C |
| 1961 | 15.3 °C |
| 1962 | 15.7 °C |
| 1963 | 15.1 °C |
| 1964 | 17.4 °C |
| 1965 | 15.5 °C |
| 1966 | 15.1 °C |
| 1967 | 14.6 °C |
| 1968 | 15.6 °C |
| 1969 | 15.6 °C |
| 1970 | 16.6 °C |
| 1971 | 16.0 °C |
| 1973 | 16.2 °C |
| 1974 | 15.8 °C |
| 1975 | 16.1 °C |
| 1976 | 16.6 °C |
| 1977 | 18.1 °C |
| 1978 | 17.0 °C |
| 1979 | 16.2 °C |
| 1980 | 17.5 °C |
| 1981 | 16.4 °C |
| 1982 | 15.4 °C |
| 1983 | 16.1 °C |
| 1986 | 15.4 °C |
| 1987 | 15.9 °C |
| 1989 | 16.4 °C |
| 1990 | 16.5 °C |
| 1991 | 17.3 °C |
| 1993 | 15.1 °C |
| 1994 | 16.2 °C |
| 1995 | 16.2 °C |
| 1996 | 14.9 °C |
| 1997 | 15.5 °C |
| 1998 | 17.3 °C |
| 1999 | 16.8 °C |
| 2000 | 16.5 °C |
| 2001 | 17.2 °C |
| 2002 | 17.1 °C |
| 2003 | 16.2 °C |
| 2004 | 15.7 °C |
| 2005 | 17.2 °C |
| 2006 | 16.9 °C |
| 2007 | 17.0 °C |
| 2008 | 16.0 °C |
| 2009 | 15.7 °C |
| 2010 | 17.8 °C |
| 2011 | 16.8 °C |
| 2012 | 17.7 °C |
| 2013 | 15.9 °C |
| 2014 | 15.9 °C |
| 2015 | 16.4 °C |
| 2016 | 16.9 °C |
| 2017 | 16.4 °C |
| 2020 | 15.9 °C |
| 2021 | 16.8 °C |
| 2022 | 15.9 °C |
| 2025 | 16.7 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1953, Chatfield's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Preston (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.