Seed Starting Schedule

Starting Dates for 2011 MN Veg  Crops				Using April 30 as Last Frost Day
Crop	Weeks to start seeds	Start inside			Setting-out date
		From	To	Safe time to set out plants	From	To
Artichoke	8	5-Mar		on frost-free date	30-Apr
Basil	6	26-Mar		1 week after	7-May
Beets*	4 to 6	5-Mar	19-Mar	2 weeks before	16-Apr
Broccoli	4 to 6	5-Mar	19-Mar	2 weeks before	16-Apr
Cabbage	4 to 6	19-Mar	5-Mar	4 weeks before	30-Apr	2-Apr
Cauliflower	4 to 6	19-Mar	19-Mar	2 weeks before	30-Apr	16-Apr
Celery & celeriac	10 to 12	12-Feb	26-Feb	1 week after	7-May
Collards	4 to 6	19-Feb	5-Mar	4 weeks before	2-Apr
Corn salad/mache	4 to 6	5-Feb	12-Mar	3 to 6 weeks before	19-Mar	9-Apr
Corn*	2 to 4	2-Apr	30-Apr	0 to 2 weeks after	30-Apr	14-May
Cucumber	3 to 4	9-Apr	23-Apr	1 to 2 weeks after	7-May	14-May
Eggplant	8 to 10	5-Mar	26-Mar	2 to 3 weeks after	14-May	21-May
Kale	4 to 6	19-Feb	5-Mar	4 weeks before	2-Apr
Kohlrabi*	4 to 6	19-Feb	5-Mar	4 weeks before	2-Apr
Leeks	8 to 10	5-Feb	19-Feb	2 weeks before	16-Apr
Lettuce	4 to 5	26-Feb	12-Mar	3 to 4 weeks before	2-Apr	9-Apr
Melons	3 to 4	16-Apr	23-Apr	2 weeks after	14-May
Mustard*	4 to 6	19-Feb	5-Mar	4 weeks before	2-Apr
Okra*	4 to 6	2-Apr	30-Apr	2 to 4 weeks after	14-May	28-May
Onions	8 to 10	22-Jan	5-Feb	4 weeks before	2-Apr
Parsley	9 to 10	29-Jan	12-Feb	2 to 3 weeks before	9-Apr	16-Apr
Peas*	3 to 4	5-Feb	26-Feb	6 to 8 weeks before	5-Mar	19-Mar
Peppers	8	19-Mar		2 weeks after	14-May
Pumpkins	3 to 4	16-Apr	23-Apr	2 weeks after	14-May
Spinach	4 to 6	5-Feb	12-Mar	3 to 6 weeks before	19-Mar	9-Apr
Squash	3 to 4	16-Apr	23-Apr	2 weeks after	14-May
Swiss chard	4 to 6	5-Mar	19-Mar	2 weeks before	16-Apr
Tomatoes	6 to 8	12-Mar	2-Apr	1 to 2 weeks after	7-May	14-May
Watermelon	3 to 4	16-Apr	23-Apr	2 weeks after	14-May
Ageratum	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Agrostemma (Corn Cockle)*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Amaranthus	4 to 6	26-Mar	9-Apr	1 week after	7-May
Ammi (False Queen Anne's Lace)*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Artemisia (Sweet Annie) ***	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Asclepias (Butterfly Weed)	10 to 12	5-Feb	19-Feb	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Aster, China	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Bells of Ireland**	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Calendula*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Cardoon	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Carthamus (Safflower)*	4 to 6	19-Mar	2-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Castor Bean	6 to 8	12-Mar	26-Mar	1 week after	7-May
Celosia	6 to 8	12-Mar	26-Mar	1 week after	7-May
Centaurea (Bachelor's Button)*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Chinese Lanterns	8 to 12	5-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Coleus	8	12-Mar		1 week after	7-May
Cosmos*	5 to 7	12-Mar	26-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Craspedia (Drumstick Flower)	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Datura (Angel's Trumpet)	8 to 12	19-Feb	26-Mar	2 to 3 weeks after	14-May	21-May
Delphinium	10 to 16	8-Jan	19-Feb	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Dianthus (Sweet William)	10 to 12	22-Jan	12-Feb	1 to 2 weeks before	16-Apr	23-Apr
Digitalis (Foxglove)	10 to 12	5-Feb	19-Feb	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Eucalyptus	10 to 12	5-Feb	19-Feb	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Euphorbia (Snow-on-the-Mountain)*	4 to 6	19-Mar	2-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Flower Collections & Mixes*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Forget-Me-Not	8 to 9	26-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Helianthus maximillianii	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Hibiscus	8 to 10	26-Feb	12-Mar	1 week after	7-May
Hollyhock	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Hyacinth Bean	4 to 6	26-Mar	9-Apr	1 week after	7-May
Impatiens	8 to 10	26-Feb	12-Mar	1 week after	7-May
Kale, Ornamental	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Larkspur*	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Lisianthus	12 to 13	29-Jan	5-Feb	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Lupine	6 to 8	19-Feb	5-Mar	2 weeks before	16-Apr
Marigold	6 to 8	12-Mar	26-Mar	1 week after	7-May
Monarda (Bee Balm)	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Morning Glory	3 to 4	23-Apr	7-May	3 to 4 weeks after	21-May	28-May
Nigella*	4 to 6	19-Mar	2-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Phlox**	4	5-Mar		1 to 2 weeks before	16-Apr	23-Apr
Pepper, Ornamental	8	12-Mar		1 week after	7-May
Petunia	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Polygonum (Prince's Feather)	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
California Poppy*	2 to 3	9-Apr	16-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Corn Poppy*	2 to 3	9-Apr	16-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Iceland Poppy	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Ptilotus	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan)	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Salpiglossis (Painted Tongue)	4 to 6	19-Mar	2-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Salvia	6 to 8	19-Feb	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Sanvitalia	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)	4 to 6	19-Mar	2-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Scarlet Runner Bean	2 to 3			soil 60 degrees
Snapdragon	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Statice	8	5-Mar		on frost-free date	30-Apr
Stock	8 to 10	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Sunflowers*	3-4	2-Apr	9-Apr	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Strawflower	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Sweet Pea*	4 to 6	5-Mar	26-Mar	1 to 2 weeks before	16-Apr	23-Apr
Thunbergia (Black Eyed Susan Vine)	6 to 8	5-Mar	19-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)*	6	26-Mar		1 week after	7-May
Verbena	8 to 12	5-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Viola (Pansy)	8 to 12	22-Jan	26-Feb	1 to 2 weeks before	16-Apr	23-Apr
Yarrow	8 to 12	19-Feb	5-Mar	on frost-free date	30-Apr
Zinnia	4	9-Apr		1 week after	7-May
* Usually direct-sown, but may be started indoors
** Specifically recommended for direct seeding outdoors
*** We have left current crop failures in the list because they may be available next year.
Note: Dates are the same from year to year, but this table requires a year for computation