When to plant in Dawson, MN
Planting dates worked out from Dawson's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 14
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 2
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 1
1 year in 10 by Sep 15
Frost-free days
151
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Madison Wwtp · 11.7 km away · station 328 m, town 319 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 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 8 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 13 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 | May 21 |
| Peas | — | Apr 11 – May 9 | Jun 5 |
| Bush beans | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jun 26 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 20 – Jun 1 | Jun 19 |
| Beet | — | Apr 20 – Jun 1 | Jun 9 |
| Potato | — | Apr 20 – May 11 | Jun 29 |
| Kale | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 31 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jun 10 |
| Cucumber | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 3 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Jun 28 |
| Winter squash | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Aug 2 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 6 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jul 10 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 17 – Oct 15 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 11 – May 9 | May 19 |
| Basil | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 10 |
Dawson'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 |
|---|---|
| 1941 | Apr 24 |
| 1942 | May 15 |
| 1944 | May 6 |
| 1945 | May 16 |
| 1946 | May 15 |
| 1947 | May 29 |
| 1948 | Apr 13 |
| 1949 | May 24 |
| 1950 | May 1 |
| 1951 | Apr 23 |
| 1952 | Apr 15 |
| 1953 | May 13 |
| 1954 | May 8 |
| 1955 | May 8 |
| 1956 | May 4 |
| 1957 | May 4 |
| 1958 | May 6 |
| 1959 | May 15 |
| 1960 | May 11 |
| 1961 | May 4 |
| 1962 | Apr 28 |
| 1963 | May 23 |
| 1964 | Jun 2 |
| 1965 | May 28 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 20 |
| 1968 | May 18 |
| 1969 | Apr 11 |
| 1970 | May 2 |
| 1971 | May 20 |
| 1972 | Apr 25 |
| 1973 | May 14 |
| 1974 | May 6 |
| 1975 | May 15 |
| 1976 | May 7 |
| 1977 | May 2 |
| 1978 | Apr 21 |
| 1979 | May 12 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 7 |
| 1983 | May 8 |
| 1984 | May 1 |
| 1987 | Apr 5 |
| 1988 | Apr 28 |
| 1989 | May 7 |
| 1990 | May 18 |
| 1991 | May 2 |
| 1992 | May 5 |
| 1993 | Apr 30 |
| 1994 | Apr 30 |
| 1995 | Apr 27 |
| 1996 | May 3 |
| 1997 | May 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 23 |
| 2000 | Apr 22 |
| 2001 | Apr 23 |
| 2003 | Apr 22 |
| 2006 | Apr 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 18 |
| 2008 | May 3 |
| 2009 | May 17 |
| 2010 | May 9 |
| 2011 | May 3 |
| 2012 | Apr 17 |
| 2013 | May 12 |
| 2014 | May 16 |
| 2015 | May 9 |
| 2016 | May 14 |
| 2017 | May 1 |
| 2018 | Apr 28 |
| 2019 | May 7 |
| 2020 | May 12 |
| 2021 | May 11 |
| 2022 | Apr 28 |
| 2023 | May 3 |
| 2024 | Apr 24 |
| 2026 | May 11 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 156 |
| 1942 | 131 |
| 1944 | 155 |
| 1945 | 135 |
| 1946 | 145 |
| 1947 | 115 |
| 1948 | 179 |
| 1949 | 126 |
| 1950 | 154 |
| 1951 | 153 |
| 1952 | 160 |
| 1953 | 165 |
| 1954 | 136 |
| 1955 | 125 |
| 1956 | 148 |
| 1957 | 165 |
| 1958 | 147 |
| 1959 | 123 |
| 1960 | 160 |
| 1961 | 143 |
| 1962 | 144 |
| 1963 | 158 |
| 1964 | 104 |
| 1965 | 120 |
| 1966 | 142 |
| 1967 | 129 |
| 1968 | 138 |
| 1969 | 179 |
| 1970 | 158 |
| 1971 | 120 |
| 1972 | 156 |
| 1973 | 128 |
| 1974 | 119 |
| 1975 | 120 |
| 1976 | 137 |
| 1977 | 153 |
| 1978 | 169 |
| 1981 | 131 |
| 1982 | 161 |
| 1983 | 137 |
| 1984 | 146 |
| 1989 | 138 |
| 1990 | 127 |
| 1991 | 140 |
| 1992 | 145 |
| 1993 | 137 |
| 1994 | 176 |
| 1995 | 147 |
| 1997 | 151 |
| 1998 | 155 |
| 2000 | 151 |
| 2001 | 153 |
| 2006 | 146 |
| 2007 | 146 |
| 2008 | 165 |
| 2009 | 144 |
| 2010 | 158 |
| 2011 | 134 |
| 2012 | 158 |
| 2013 | 153 |
| 2014 | 146 |
| 2015 | 159 |
| 2016 | 146 |
| 2017 | 161 |
| 2018 | 153 |
| 2019 | 156 |
| 2020 | 120 |
| 2021 | 157 |
| 2022 | 151 |
| 2023 | 156 |
| 2024 | 162 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 18.5 °C |
| 1942 | 15.9 °C |
| 1944 | 17.1 °C |
| 1945 | 15.4 °C |
| 1946 | 17.0 °C |
| 1947 | 16.7 °C |
| 1948 | 18.1 °C |
| 1949 | 18.3 °C |
| 1950 | 15.6 °C |
| 1951 | 15.8 °C |
| 1952 | 18.0 °C |
| 1953 | 17.2 °C |
| 1954 | 16.7 °C |
| 1955 | 19.0 °C |
| 1956 | 16.7 °C |
| 1957 | 17.0 °C |
| 1958 | 17.4 °C |
| 1959 | 18.0 °C |
| 1960 | 17.5 °C |
| 1961 | 16.8 °C |
| 1962 | 16.8 °C |
| 1963 | 17.8 °C |
| 1964 | 17.8 °C |
| 1965 | 16.2 °C |
| 1966 | 16.4 °C |
| 1967 | 16.2 °C |
| 1968 | 16.9 °C |
| 1969 | 17.3 °C |
| 1970 | 17.5 °C |
| 1971 | 16.7 °C |
| 1972 | 16.8 °C |
| 1973 | 17.3 °C |
| 1974 | 16.8 °C |
| 1975 | 16.4 °C |
| 1976 | 19.2 °C |
| 1977 | 18.8 °C |
| 1978 | 17.9 °C |
| 1981 | 17.4 °C |
| 1982 | 16.9 °C |
| 1983 | 17.6 °C |
| 1984 | 17.4 °C |
| 1989 | 18.6 °C |
| 1990 | 18.2 °C |
| 1991 | 18.3 °C |
| 1992 | 15.8 °C |
| 1993 | 15.8 °C |
| 1994 | 17.5 °C |
| 1995 | 17.8 °C |
| 1997 | 17.4 °C |
| 1998 | 18.7 °C |
| 1999 | 17.2 °C |
| 2000 | 15.9 °C |
| 2001 | 16.8 °C |
| 2006 | 17.7 °C |
| 2007 | 17.6 °C |
| 2008 | 16.5 °C |
| 2009 | 16.2 °C |
| 2010 | 17.8 °C |
| 2011 | 17.1 °C |
| 2012 | 18.3 °C |
| 2013 | 16.2 °C |
| 2014 | 16.3 °C |
| 2015 | 17.6 °C |
| 2016 | 17.7 °C |
| 2017 | 17.0 °C |
| 2018 | 16.6 °C |
| 2019 | 16.3 °C |
| 2020 | 17.0 °C |
| 2021 | 17.5 °C |
| 2022 | 16.4 °C |
| 2023 | 17.4 °C |
| 2024 | 17.6 °C |
| 2026 | 17.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1941, Dawson's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 1 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Madison Wwtp (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.