When to plant green beans in Minneapolis, Minnesota

April 23 – May 7

Direct-sow outdoors · typical Minneapolis year

Climate basis: NOAA station Lower St Anthony Falls, MN (USC00214884), 1 mi (2 km) from downtown Minneapolis (ZCTA 55401 centroid), elevation 754 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Direct-sow green beans from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 23). One year in ten still freezes after May 7.

Last spring freezeApril 231-in-10 after May 7
First fall freezeOctober 161-in-10 before Oct 2
Frost-free season175 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 14Oct 27kills even hardy greens
USDA zone5a-20 to -15°F winter low not frost timing

The Minneapolis year

Direct-sow outdoorsApr 23 – May 7
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 7
Green beans in Minneapolis · freeze context from Lower St Anthony Falls, MN, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Direct-sow outdoors

Apr 23 – May 7

UGA: plant as soon as the danger of frost has passed; UNH: plant seed in garden after last frost; Purdue: tender — plant after the average last frost. Point rule given a 14-day span. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 23). University of Georgia Cooperative Extension · University of New Hampshire Extension · Purdue University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

Beans resent transplanting and are direct-seeded in the cited guides.

Transplant outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an outdoor transplanting window for this crop.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

Variety assumption: Assumes bush snap beans (about 55–65 days from seed; Penn State lists 60).

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (3)

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