Last and first frost dates in Grand Forks
United States
In Grand Forks the last spring frost usually comes around 10 May and the first autumn frost around 16 October, which leaves about 159 frost-free days (median of 2016–2025). Tomato seedlings can go into open ground from 24 May to 26 June.
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| Last spring frost | around 10 May |
|---|---|
| First autumn frost | around 16 October |
| Frost-free days | 159 days |
Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.
When is the last frost in Grand Forks?
The last frost in Grand Forks usually comes around 10 May: that is the median of 2016–2025, so in about half of those years the last night at or below 0 °C came later. Hardy crops start before it and frost-tender ones only after it: in the table below arugula can go into open ground from 19 April, while corn waits until 17 May. The first autumn frost follows around 16 October, about 159 days later: harvest or cover frost-tender crops before then.
When to sow and plant
| Crop | Sow for seedlings | Plant out in a greenhouse | Open ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achocha | 17 March – 8 July | 26 April – 17 August | 17 May – 17 August |
| Ageratum | from 8 March | — | from 24 May |
| Arugula | — | — | sow 19 April – 11 September |
| Basil | 7 April – 14 August | 15 May – 21 September | 5 June – 21 September |
| Beet | — | — | sow 19 April – 17 August |
| Bell Pepper | 16 March – 27 April | 15 May – 26 June | 5 June – 26 June |
| Black-eyed Susan | from 23 February | — | from 17 May |
| Bok Choy | 22 March – 25 August | 26 April – 29 September | 17 May – 29 September |
| Borage | — | — | sow 17 May – 22 August |
| Broad bean | — | — | sow 19 April – 8 July |
| Broccoli | — | — | sow 19 April – 1 July |
| Brussels Sprouts | 12 February – 29 May | 29 March – 13 July | 19 April – 13 July |
| Busy Lizzie | from 22 February | — | from 17 May |
| Cabbage | — | — | sow 19 April – 8 June |
| Calendula | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Carrot | — | — | sow 19 April – 24 July |
| Cauliflower | 15 February – 1 July | 29 March – 12 August | 19 April – 12 August |
| Celeriac | 8 February – 28 April | 26 April – 14 July | 17 May – 14 July |
| Celery | 8 February – 8 May | 26 April – 24 July | 17 May – 24 July |
| Celosia | from 20 March | from 4 May | from 25 May |
| Chamomile | — | — | sow 19 April – 12 August |
| Chayote | 28 January – 21 April | 26 April – 18 July | 17 May – 18 July |
| Chickpea | — | — | sow 19 April – 28 June |
| Chicory | 4 March – 23 July | — | 19 April – 17 August |
| Chili Pepper | 16 March – 3 June | 15 May – 2 August | 5 June – 2 August |
| China aster | from 24 March | from 15 May | from 5 June |
| Chives | — | — | sow 19 April – 3 August |
| Cilantro | — | — | sow 19 April – 13 August |
| Corn | — | — | sow 17 May – 28 June |
| Corn poppy | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Cosmos | from 20 March | from 4 May | from 25 May |
| Cucumber | 17 April – 4 July | 15 May – 1 August | 5 June – 1 August |
| Daikon | — | — | sow 19 April – 10 August |
| Delphinium | from 29 January | — | from 19 April |
| Dill | — | — | sow 19 April – 23 August |
| Edging lobelia | from 22 February | — | from 17 May |
| Eggplant | 16 March – 27 April | 15 May – 26 June | 5 June – 26 June |
| Florence fennel | 12 March – 8 July | 26 April – 22 August | 17 May – 22 August |
| Foxglove | from 11 January | — | from 19 April |
| Garden sorrel | — | — | sow 19 April – 11 August |
| Green Beans | — | — | sow 25 May – 6 July |
| Hollyhock | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Hyssop | — | — | sow 19 April – 4 July |
| Kale | — | — | sow 19 April – 5 August |
| Kiwano | 1 April – 11 July | 3 May – 12 August | 24 May – 12 August |
| Kohlrabi | — | — | sow 19 April – 15 August |
| Leek | 18 January – 19 April | 29 March – 28 June | 19 April – 28 June |
| Lemon balm | — | — | sow 19 April – 7 August |
| Lettuce | — | — | sow 19 April – 20 August |
| Lisianthus | from 1 January | from 29 March | from 19 April |
| Lovage | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Luffa | 3 April – 5 May | 15 May – 16 June | 5 June – 16 June |
| Marigold | from 15 March | from 26 April | from 17 May |
| Marjoram | 16 March – 23 July | — | 5 June – 21 September |
| Melon | 17 April – 21 June | 15 May – 19 July | 5 June – 19 July |
| Microgreens | — | — | sow 25 May – 2 October |
| Moringa | 23 March – 28 July | 17 May – 21 September | 7 June – 21 September |
| Moss rose | from 1 March | — | from 17 May |
| Mustard greens | — | — | sow 19 April – 1 September |
| Napa cabbage | 24 March – 2 August | 26 April – 4 September | 17 May – 4 September |
| Nasturtium | from 19 March | from 26 April | from 17 May |
| Okra | 3 April – 16 July | 15 May – 27 August | 5 June – 27 August |
| Oregano | 28 January – 13 July | 29 March – 11 September | 19 April – 11 September |
| Pansy | from 1 February | from 29 March | from 19 April |
| Parsley | — | — | sow 19 April – 1 August |
| Parsnip | — | — | sow 19 April – 20 June |
| Peanut | 8 April – 11 June | 15 May – 18 July | 5 June – 18 July |
| Peas | — | — | sow 19 April – 3 August |
| Petunia | from 13 March | from 15 May | from 5 June |
| Physalis | 19 March – 8 June | 3 May – 23 July | 24 May – 23 July |
| Pumpkin | 3 April – 10 May | 15 May – 21 June | 5 June – 21 June |
| Purple coneflower | from 26 January | — | from 19 April |
| Radish | — | — | sow 19 April – 16 September |
| Sage | 8 February – 9 July | 29 March – 27 August | 19 April – 27 August |
| Scarlet sage | from 12 March | — | from 24 May |
| Snapdragon | from 23 January | from 29 March | from 19 April |
| Soybean | — | — | sow 5 June – 28 July |
| Spinach | — | — | sow 19 April – 22 August |
| Stevia | 15 March – 30 May | 3 May – 18 July | 24 May – 18 July |
| Stock | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Sunflower | — | — | sow from 25 May |
| Sweet alyssum | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Sweet Corn | 4 April – 23 July | 26 April – 14 August | 17 May – 14 August |
| Sweet pea | from 15 February | from 29 March | from 19 April |
| Sweet William | — | — | sow from 19 April |
| Swiss Chard | — | — | sow 19 April – 17 August |
| Thyme | — | — | sow 19 April – 28 June |
| Tomato | 12 March – 5 May | 3 May – 26 June | 24 May – 26 June |
| Turnip | — | — | sow 19 April – 19 August |
| Watercress | — | — | sow 19 April – 30 August |
| Watermelon | 17 April – 9 June | 15 May – 7 July | 5 June – 7 July |
| Zinnia | from 12 April | from 17 May | from 7 June |
| Zucchini | 24 April – 9 July | 15 May – 30 July | 5 June – 30 July |
Planting out: a week after the last frost once the soil is warm enough for the crop; frost-hardy crops three weeks before it; an unheated greenhouse three weeks earlier. Seedlings are sown so they are ready on that day. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
When the soil warms up in Grand Forks
The day the top 7 cm of soil first averages each temperature over a week, median of 2016–2025 (ERA5 via Open-Meteo). The soil reaches 10 °C 3 days before the last spring frost and 15 °C 14 days after it.
| Soil | Date | Against the last spring frost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 °C | 20 April | 20 days earlier |
| 10 °C | 7 May | 3 days earlier |
| 15 °C | 24 May | 14 days later |
| 18 °C | 5 June | 26 days later |
Frost dates near Grand Forks
Of the nearest cities on our list, the last spring frost ends earliest in Duluth (28 April) and latest in Winnipeg (12 May).
| City | Distance | Last spring frost | First autumn frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | 118 km | 30 April | 16 October |
| Winnipeg | 220 km | 12 May | 12 October |
| Bismarck | 303 km | 1 May | 15 October |
| Duluth | 396 km | 28 April | 28 October |
| Minneapolis | 439 km | 28 April | 24 October |
Seeds, seedlings and markets in Grand Forks
Within 15 km of Grand Forks OpenStreetMap lists 2 markets (collected 29 October 2026). The nearest market to the city centre is Town Square Farmers Market, 5 km away.
- Town Square Farmers Market — market
Jun 17–Sept 30 Sat 09:00–13:00 · 5 km · tsfarmersmarket.com
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
What to grow at home in winter in Grand Forks
Frosts in Grand Forks usually come from about 16 October to about 10 May. These plants have indoor care in their Greenly cards and are harvested quickly, so they can be sown on a windowsill in winter.
Grand Forks: weather for the next 7 days
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Nights at or below 0 °C are marked as frost.
Weather in Grand Forks by month
Average weather in Grand Forks over 2016–2025: the warmest month is July. Months that average 20 °C or more by day: May–September (20.5–27.9 °C). Nights average below 0 °C in November–April (-15.9–-0.8 °C). About 599 mm of rain falls in a year, on 92 days; June is the wettest month (89 mm) and January the driest (17 mm).
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -7.1 | -15.8 | 17 | 5 |
| February | -5.7 | -15.9 | 18 | 5 |
| March | 3.3 | -7.2 | 24 | 6 |
| April | 10.4 | -0.8 | 60 | 9 |
| May | 20.5 | 7.9 | 69 | 10 |
| June | 26.3 | 14.8 | 89 | 10 |
| July | 27.9 | 17.1 | 72 | 8 |
| August | 26.3 | 15.9 | 61 | 9 |
| September | 22.2 | 12.3 | 60 | 8 |
| October | 12.8 | 4.2 | 60 | 8 |
| November | 3.6 | -4.3 | 28 | 6 |
| December | -4.3 | -12.9 | 41 | 8 |
Average of the daily highs and lows, rain per month and days with at least 1 mm (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, the same grid cell as the frost dates).
Planted in autumn
| Crop | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Bearded Iris | by 16 September |
| Crocus | 16 September – 31 October |
| Daffodil | 16 September – 31 October |
| Garlic | 16 September – 31 October |
| Grape hyacinth | by 16 September |
| Hellebore | by 16 September |
| Hyacinth | 16 September – 31 October |
| Lily | by 16 September |
| Ornamental onion | by 16 September |
| Peony | by 16 September |
| Saffron | by 16 September |
| Snowdrop | by 16 September |
| Tulip | 16 September – 31 October |
| Wild garlic | by 16 September |
From a month before the first autumn frost, so the roots grow before winter, to the late-planting limit on each crop’s page (about two weeks before the ground freezes, by ten years of weather).