When to plant in Rock Creek, MN
Planting dates worked out from Rock Creek's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 28
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 19
Frost-free days
141
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Grantsburg · 21.3 km away · station 302 m, town 286 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 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 22 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 27 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | May 25 |
| Peas | — | Apr 15 – May 13 | Jun 9 |
| Bush beans | — | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 10 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Jun 22 |
| Beet | — | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Jun 12 |
| Potato | — | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 2 |
| Kale | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 4 |
| Broccoli | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – May 6 | Jun 14 |
| Cucumber | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 17 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 12 |
| Winter squash | Apr 30 – May 7 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Aug 16 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 20 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 15 – May 6 | Jul 14 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 15 – Oct 13 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 15 – May 13 | May 23 |
| Basil | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 24 |
Rock Creek'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 |
|---|---|
| 1951 | Jun 4 |
| 1952 | May 28 |
| 1953 | Jun 7 |
| 1954 | Jun 4 |
| 1955 | May 11 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | Jun 2 |
| 1958 | Jun 11 |
| 1959 | May 16 |
| 1960 | Jun 17 |
| 1961 | May 26 |
| 1962 | May 2 |
| 1963 | May 23 |
| 1964 | Jun 2 |
| 1965 | May 29 |
| 1966 | May 31 |
| 1967 | May 20 |
| 1968 | May 5 |
| 1969 | Jun 20 |
| 1970 | May 6 |
| 1971 | May 12 |
| 1972 | May 3 |
| 1973 | May 16 |
| 1974 | May 7 |
| 1975 | May 2 |
| 1976 | May 8 |
| 1977 | May 9 |
| 1978 | May 2 |
| 1979 | May 4 |
| 1980 | Apr 28 |
| 1981 | May 18 |
| 1984 | May 2 |
| 1988 | May 17 |
| 1989 | May 9 |
| 1990 | May 11 |
| 1991 | May 6 |
| 1992 | May 26 |
| 1993 | May 16 |
| 1994 | May 7 |
| 1995 | May 1 |
| 1996 | May 13 |
| 1997 | May 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 27 |
| 1999 | May 9 |
| 2000 | Jun 5 |
| 2001 | Apr 25 |
| 2002 | May 18 |
| 2003 | May 3 |
| 2004 | May 16 |
| 2005 | May 16 |
| 2006 | May 22 |
| 2007 | Apr 17 |
| 2008 | May 13 |
| 2009 | May 31 |
| 2010 | May 9 |
| 2011 | May 17 |
| 2012 | Apr 28 |
| 2013 | May 25 |
| 2014 | May 4 |
| 2015 | May 31 |
| 2016 | May 19 |
| 2018 | Apr 28 |
| 2019 | May 8 |
| 2021 | May 30 |
| 2022 | May 4 |
| 2023 | Apr 27 |
| 2024 | Apr 25 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 111 |
| 1952 | 114 |
| 1953 | 91 |
| 1954 | 109 |
| 1955 | 122 |
| 1956 | 105 |
| 1957 | 109 |
| 1958 | 107 |
| 1959 | 122 |
| 1960 | 103 |
| 1961 | 119 |
| 1963 | 112 |
| 1964 | 101 |
| 1965 | 119 |
| 1966 | 106 |
| 1967 | 124 |
| 1968 | 151 |
| 1969 | 80 |
| 1970 | 116 |
| 1971 | 128 |
| 1972 | 140 |
| 1975 | 144 |
| 1976 | 137 |
| 1977 | 145 |
| 1978 | 158 |
| 1979 | 155 |
| 1980 | 147 |
| 1981 | 132 |
| 1989 | 136 |
| 1990 | 141 |
| 1991 | 136 |
| 1992 | 125 |
| 1993 | 129 |
| 1994 | 154 |
| 1995 | 141 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 151 |
| 1998 | 157 |
| 1999 | 134 |
| 2000 | 110 |
| 2001 | 151 |
| 2002 | 131 |
| 2003 | 148 |
| 2004 | 138 |
| 2005 | 143 |
| 2006 | 140 |
| 2007 | 150 |
| 2008 | 143 |
| 2009 | 121 |
| 2010 | 138 |
| 2011 | 120 |
| 2012 | 147 |
| 2013 | 141 |
| 2014 | 131 |
| 2015 | 121 |
| 2016 | 141 |
| 2018 | 153 |
| 2019 | 156 |
| 2021 | 143 |
| 2022 | 145 |
| 2023 | 172 |
| 2024 | 170 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 13.9 °C |
| 1952 | 15.4 °C |
| 1953 | 14.9 °C |
| 1954 | 14.4 °C |
| 1955 | 17.0 °C |
| 1956 | 13.8 °C |
| 1957 | 14.6 °C |
| 1958 | 14.1 °C |
| 1959 | 15.8 °C |
| 1960 | 14.9 °C |
| 1961 | 15.1 °C |
| 1963 | 15.9 °C |
| 1964 | 16.2 °C |
| 1965 | 14.4 °C |
| 1966 | 14.8 °C |
| 1967 | 14.3 °C |
| 1968 | 15.5 °C |
| 1969 | 15.8 °C |
| 1970 | 16.0 °C |
| 1971 | 14.5 °C |
| 1972 | 14.3 °C |
| 1974 | 13.8 °C |
| 1975 | 14.5 °C |
| 1976 | 15.9 °C |
| 1977 | 16.3 °C |
| 1978 | 15.5 °C |
| 1979 | 14.7 °C |
| 1980 | 15.7 °C |
| 1981 | 15.1 °C |
| 1989 | 15.5 °C |
| 1990 | 15.5 °C |
| 1991 | 16.3 °C |
| 1992 | 13.9 °C |
| 1993 | 14.1 °C |
| 1994 | 15.6 °C |
| 1995 | 15.2 °C |
| 1996 | 14.6 °C |
| 1997 | 14.8 °C |
| 1998 | 17.2 °C |
| 1999 | 16.3 °C |
| 2000 | 15.5 °C |
| 2001 | 16.6 °C |
| 2002 | 15.9 °C |
| 2003 | 16.0 °C |
| 2004 | 14.9 °C |
| 2005 | 17.2 °C |
| 2006 | 17.3 °C |
| 2007 | 17.1 °C |
| 2008 | 15.3 °C |
| 2009 | 15.8 °C |
| 2010 | 16.9 °C |
| 2011 | 15.8 °C |
| 2012 | 17.1 °C |
| 2013 | 15.4 °C |
| 2014 | 15.3 °C |
| 2015 | 16.8 °C |
| 2016 | 16.7 °C |
| 2018 | 16.3 °C |
| 2019 | 15.2 °C |
| 2021 | 16.7 °C |
| 2022 | 15.6 °C |
| 2023 | 16.7 °C |
| 2024 | 16.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1951, Rock Creek's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 6 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Grantsburg (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.