Nelson, MN 56355 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Nelson, MN?
Around 05/02 is the usual last spring frost, about 247 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 159 frost-free days later.
Zone 4a (-30 to -25°F average annual minimum) comes from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map; the frost dates above are the 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting NOAA station for Nelson, not a forecast for this year.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Nelson before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/02 isn't a guarantee
05/02 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/18 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/15 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Nelson compares
About 159 days separate Nelson's last and first frost, putting it 32,786 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within MN, it ranks 277 of 943.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 4a and Nelson's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Nelson's dates instead of trusting one.