When to plant · 24 cities · zones 4a–5a
When to plant carrots in Minnesota
Direct sow nantes carrot around Apr 20 — the Minnesota statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of May 4 across 874 ZIP codes and 186 NOAA stations.
The rule: Direct sow two weeks before the last frost and keep the top half-inch of soil damp for the 14–21 days it takes to germinate.
Minnesota carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost May 4, first fall frost Oct 4, 2027 season. Each cultivar's own indoor lead time and days to maturity, same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Cultivar | Start indoors | Sow | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Direct sow | Apr 20 | Jun 29 | 70 from sow |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost. Statewide dates are the ZIP-weighted median of every NOAA 1991–2020 station Minnesota's ZIP codes resolve to; 7 of 881 ZIPs have no datable freeze and are left out.
Carrots in Minnesota, city by city
Nantes Carrot, scheduled from each city's nearest NOAA station — the same dates as its frost page.
| City | Last frost | Sow | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapoliszone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| St. Paulzone 5a | Apr 24 | Apr 10 | Jun 19 |
| Rochesterzone 4b | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Bloomingtonzone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Duluthzone 4b | May 14 | Apr 30 | Jul 9 |
| Brooklyn Parkzone 5a | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Woodburyzone 5a | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| Plymouthzone 5a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Lakevillezone 4b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | Jun 22 |
| Blainezone 5a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
| Maple Grovezone 5a | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| St. Cloudzone 4b | May 3 | Apr 19 | Jun 28 |
| Eaganzone 5a | May 2 | Apr 18 | Jun 27 |
| Burnsvillezone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Coon Rapidszone 5a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
| Eden Prairiezone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Apple Valleyzone 5a | May 2 | Apr 18 | Jun 27 |
| Edinazone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Minnetonkazone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| St. Louis Parkzone 5a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Shakopeezone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Mankatozone 5a | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Moorheadzone 4a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
| Cottage Grovezone 5a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
What Minnesota carrots need
Scarlet Nantes Carrot Seed
The carrot that makes a fermented habanero sauce work. It brings sweetness and body so the sauce has texture without thickener and heat without being one-dimensional.
Organic Seed Starter Potting MixMust have
Seed-starting mix is not potting soil with a nicer label — it is finer, lighter, and low in nutrients on purpose, because a seedling's first roots want air and moisture, not fertiliser.
Ocean Forest Potting SoilMust have
Pre-charged with enough nutrition to carry a transplant for its first month without feeding, which is exactly the window when most container plants stall.
5-Gallon Fabric Grow Bags, 5-Pack
Fabric pots air-prune roots and drain faster than a plastic pot can, which is the entire reason container tomatoes fail. Five gallons is the honest minimum for a pepper; a tomato wants ten.
Rapitest Soil Test Kit
In-ground growers are guessing until they test. pH outside 6.0–6.8 locks nutrients out no matter how much fertiliser you add, and no amount of feeding fixes that.
3-in-1 Soil Moisture / Light / pH Tester
Used for one thing — is the root zone actually dry six inches down — it prevents both halves of the most common container failure. Ignore the pH scale on it entirely.
Garden Harvest Basket with Tool Caddy
A harvest basket that doubles as a colander means the hose rinse happens in the garden, and the dirt stays outside. On a 20-pound tomato day that is a genuine time saving.
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Carrots in Minnesota: questions
When should I plant carrots in Minnesota?
Direct sow around Apr 20 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Apr 11 in the warmest tenth of Minnesota's ZIP codes to May 2 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from May 18 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Minnesota?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is May 4. In the warmest tenth of Minnesota's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Apr 25; in the coldest tenth, on or after May 16.
When will Minnesota carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 29: 70 days from sow.
More for Minnesota
- When to plant tomatoes
- When to plant peppers
- When to plant tomatillos
- When to plant basil
- When to plant onions
- When to plant cilantro
- When to plant mustard greens
Carrots in every state → · Minnesota frost dates → · How frost-date math works →