Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Moorhead, MN

Moorhead, MN is in USDA zone 4a across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is May 5 and the first fall frost October 3.

Moorhead on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone4a−30 to −25 °F
ZIP codes3
Last frostMay 5
First frostOct 3
Growing season150 days

4a 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Moorhead, MN…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Moorhead, MN

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 3median — 10% chance by Sep 22
Growing season150 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 28 and returns around October 14.

From the NOAA station Moorhead, MN, elevation 906 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Moorhead

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 14
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
TomatoesTransplant · May 12 – May 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 19 – Jun 2
BeansSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 8 – Aug 22
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 19 – Oct 24
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 5) and first fall frost (Oct 3) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 56563 came on Apr 23 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 21).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 4a in Minnesota

445 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Minnesota, and rated by the USDA to survive −30 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 4a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 45

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbalsam fir60 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −43 °Fbalsam poplar80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −79 °F

Shrubs 77

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 173

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Grasses 140

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbasin wildrye5 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 3

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Moorhead, MN.

Soil in Moorhead, MN

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 56563 is Aquerts — silty clay, poorly drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureSilty clayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter5%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban Land, 0 to 2 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 56563; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Moorhead, MN

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low0 °Faverage low, January
Hot days10days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights170nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,453base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 53 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 31 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation26.1 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall53 inper year; 110 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

−10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 17 °F, low 0 °F 17°0° JanFebruary: average high 23 °F, low 4 °F 23°4° FebMarch: average high 37 °F, low 18 °F 37°18° MarApril: average high 54 °F, low 32 °F 54°32° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 56 °F 78°56° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 59 °F 81°59° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 49 °F 72°49° SepOctober: average high 55 °F, low 36 °F 55°36° OctNovember: average high 38 °F, low 21 °F 38°21° NovDecember: average high 23 °F, low 8 °F 23°8° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 0.73 in precipitation, 12.2 in snowfall 0.7❄12 JanFebruary: 0.72 in precipitation, 7.7 in snowfall 0.7❄8 FebMarch: 1.33 in precipitation, 9.3 in snowfall 1.3❄9 MarApril: 1.72 in precipitation, 4 in snowfall 1.7❄4 AprMay: 3.40 in precipitation 3.4 MayJune: 4.66 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 3.37 in precipitation 3.4 JulAugust: 2.74 in precipitation 2.7 AugSeptember: 2.94 in precipitation 2.9 SepOctober: 2.51 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 2.5❄1 OctNovember: 1.05 in precipitation, 8 in snowfall 1.1❄8 NovDecember: 0.92 in precipitation, 10.8 in snowfall 0.9❄11 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Moorhead, MN (within 1 mile); precipitation: Moorhead, MN (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Moorhead

565604a
−30 to −25 °F
565614a
−30 to −25 °F
565634a
−30 to −25 °F

Minnesota planting zones →

Questions about Moorhead

What planting zone is Moorhead, MN?

Moorhead, MN is in USDA hardiness zone 4a on the 2023 map (4a: −30 to −25 °F).

When is the last frost in Moorhead, MN?

The median last spring frost is May 5 and the median first fall frost is October 3 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Moorhead station).

When can I plant a garden in Moorhead, MN?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 24 – Apr 14; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 12, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Moorhead, MN?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 53 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Moorhead, MN get?

About 26.1 inches of precipitation a year and 53 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).