When should I plant basil in ZIP 55401?

In ZIP 55401, the main basil target is around May 20, based on the representative Minneapolis frost station and USDA zone 5a.

Is this a guaranteed planting date?

No. GrowZone uses frost-date estimates, hardiness zones, and crop timing rules for planning. Local microclimates and current weather can shift the right date.

ZIP 55401 planting calendar

In ZIP 55401, plant basil around May 20.

Your Minneapolis calendar has a 144-day estimated frost-free season. This estimate uses the representative Minneapolis frost station, USDA zone 5a, and basil timing rules.

USDA zone 5a Minneapolis frost station University of Minnesota Extension Updated 2026-06-28

Read the method

Season map

Basil windows by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Start indoors

Apr 5

Direct sow

May 20

Transplant

May 20

Harvest

Jul 24

Frost watch

Jul 28

Reminder workflow

Every date has a next action

Start basil indoorsApr 5

Last frost windowMay 10

Direct sow basilMay 20

Transplant basilMay 20

First basil harvest windowJul 24

Last basil sowing targetJul 28

Signal	Value	Why it matters
Last frost estimate	May 10, 2026	Warm-season transplant risk starts falling after this window.
First frost estimate	October 1, 2026	Fall planting counts backward from this date.
Season length	144 days	Longer seasons can support succession crops.
Spacing	10-12 in	Airflow and root space affect yield.
Soil temperature	65 F+	Seeds and transplants stall in cold soil.

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Local data

Why this date changes by ZIP

Minneapolis frost history and USDA zone 5a shift the safe planting window. GrowZone uses a local representative station instead of one national rule.

University of Minnesota Extension is the kind of local source to verify against when a crop is expensive, weather is unusual, or your yard has a cold pocket.

Crop note

Basil timing notes

Pinch the growing tips early for fuller plants. Basil prefers full sun, 10-12 in spacing, and soil near 65 F+.

For fall, count backward from Oct 1. A conservative last sowing target is around Jul 28.