USDA hardiness zone lookup
Moorhead, MN — USDA Zone 4a
Moorhead, Minnesota · 130-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Moorhead
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 4a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | May 15 |
| Average first fall frost | September 22 |
| Growing season length | ~130 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -30 to -20°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -34 to -29°C |
All of Moorhead's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 4a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Moorhead's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by May 15, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Moorhead
Moorhead, Minnesota sits in USDA Zone 4a, with roughly 130 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around May 15 and a first fall frost around September 22. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in Moorhead
Moorhead falls in USDA Zone 4a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 4 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 4a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Apple, pear, plum, sour cherry
- Blueberries (highbush)
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Peppers (short-season)
- Cucumbers
- Beans
- Squash (summer + winter)
- Garlic
What to plant in Moorhead this week
Moorhead's last frost is around May 15. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 4
- When to plant peppers in zone 4
- When to plant basil in zone 4
- When to plant bush beans in zone 4
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 4
Full planting calendar for Moorhead
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 4 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 4
- When to plant peppers in zone 4
- When to plant basil in zone 4
- When to plant garlic in zone 4
- When to plant lettuce in zone 4
- When to plant bush beans in zone 4
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 4
- When to plant summer squash in zone 4
- When to plant peas in zone 4
- When to plant carrots in zone 4
ZIP codes in Moorhead
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Moorhead:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Moorheadgardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Moorhead's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Minnesota
- Andover, MN — USDA Zone 4b
- Apple Valley, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Burnsville, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Duluth, MN — USDA Zone 4a
- Mankato, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Maple Grove, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Minneapolis, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Rochester, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- Saint Paul, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- St. Cloud, MN — USDA Zone 4b
- St. Louis Park, MN — USDA Zone 5a
- All of Minnesota by zone