What to plant this week in Minneapolis, MN
With the average last frost date in Minneapolis hovering around May 8, this week marks a critical transition as lingering late-spring chills fade but the threat of a return to -20°F winter lows remains just weeks away. Gardeners are now actively harvesting summer staples like zucchini and bell peppers while preparing hardy crops such as garlic and parsnip for their final outdoor placement before soil temperatures drop.
The next 7 days
Minneapolis, MNGrowing in Minneapolis right now
- Watch for sudden temperature swings typical of our metro area; cover tender transplants with row covers if a dip below 32°F is forecasted after mid-May.
- Minneapolis clay-loam soils often become heavy and slow to warm in spring; incorporate compost thoroughly now to improve drainage for the coming harvest season of squash and beans.
- Take advantage of the relatively short growing window by prioritizing fast-maturing varieties like bush beans and edamame alongside your late-season pumpkin crops that need warmth to mature before Oct 8.
- Monitor soil moisture carefully as our spring rainfall patterns can shift quickly, preventing root rot in newly transplanted basil and marigolds without letting summer corn dry out.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
46 crops- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Habanero Pepper
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Nasturtium
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Begin succession sowing quick-maturing crops like Bush Beans or Lettuce to extend your harvest before the first frost on October 8.
- Apply a thick layer of straw or leaf mulch around perennial roots and Brassicas like Brussels Sprouts to protect them from early cold snaps.
- Prune back any leggy Summer Savory or Garden Verbena now to encourage fresh growth once temperatures stabilize after the frost.
- Start planning your spring garden by ordering seeds for crops that need a long head start, such as Garlic for next fall planting.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for aphid colonies forming on the undersides of young bean leaves and zucchini plants as temperatures stabilize above 50°F.
- Check tomato and pepper seedlings for early signs of flea beetle damage, which thrives in our cool, damp spring conditions before pests move indoors.
- Be vigilant for early fungal spores on celery and leafy greens due to the combination of high humidity and fluctuating night-time lows common in Minneapolis late spring.
Watering this week
Reduce watering frequency but increase volume deeply to help plants build frost resistance before the October chill sets in.
Harvest Garlic now if it has finished curing to ensure you get a full bulb before the ground freezes hard.
Minneapolis gardening questions
3Can I plant my garlic cloves now or should I wait?
This is the prime time to push your garlic into the ground; get them down before soil temperatures drop too low so roots can establish before winter.
My zucchini and summer squash are growing fast but I'm worried about frost damaging the fruit.
Harvest any mature vegetables immediately if a freeze is predicted within 48 hours to save your yield for the week.
Which of these plants need specific soil prep before transplanting this week?
Root crops like parsnips and leeks benefit from loosening the clay-heavy Minneapolis subsoil now to prevent stunting as they grow toward harvest.
Other cities in zone 5a
6See the full zone 5a guide → · Plan your Minneapolis garden in SproutGuide →