Frost dates & planting calendar for Milwaukee, WI
Frost dates
Apr 26
Last spring frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, the last frost comes later.
Safer date: May 12. Only 1 freeze year in 10 has a frost after this.
Oct 18
First fall frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, it comes earlier.
Early date: Oct 2. Only 1 freeze year in 10 freezes before this.
173
Days, typical frost-free season
From NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for this station.
6a
USDA hardiness zone
Coldest night of the winter, averaged over 1991–2020: −10 to −5°F (−23.3 to −20.6°C).
Zone for ZIP 53210, the ZIP nearest the city center; zones can vary within a city. What zone 6a means.
What to plant right now
As of Nov 9, 2026
Typical frost-free season: 173 days. Station: Mt Mary College, WI, 5 km away. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (32°F threshold).
Hardiness zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 9 Nov 2026.
Can I plant tomatoes now?
Not this season. Start tomato seeds indoors from Mar 17 to Mar 31, then plant them out from May 12 to May 26.
Planting calendar
Windows are counted from the safer dates (May 12 in spring, Oct 2 in fall). Going by the typical dates instead gains you about 2 weeks in spring, with more risk.
March
The next window opens in March.
Peppertender
Next: start indoors from Mar 3
- Start indoors
- Mar 3 – Mar 17
- Transplant outdoors
- May 12 – May 26
Parsleyhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 3
- Start indoors
- Mar 3 – Mar 17
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
Tomatotender
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- May 12 – May 26
Eggplanttender
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- May 12 – May 26
Broccolihardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Apr 14 – May 12
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Cabbagehardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Apr 14 – May 12
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Cauliflowerhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 21 – May 12
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Brussels sproutshardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 21 – Apr 21
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Marigoldtender
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 17
- Transplant outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Calendulahalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Sow outdoors
- May 5 – May 12
Mexican sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Mar 17
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Leaf lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 31 – Apr 28
Head lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Mar 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 31 – Apr 28
Zinniatender
Next: start indoors from Mar 31
- Start indoors
- Mar 31 – Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Nasturtiumtender
Next: start indoors from Mar 31
- Start indoors
- Mar 31 – Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Mar 31
- Start indoors
- Mar 31 – Apr 14
April
The next window opens in April.
Cucumbertender
Next: start indoors from Apr 14
- Start indoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 19
Summer squashtender
Next: start indoors from Apr 14
- Start indoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 19
Winter squashtender
Next: start indoors from Apr 14
- Start indoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- May 19 – May 26
Watermelontender
Next: start indoors from Apr 14
- Start indoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Transplant outdoors
- May 19 – May 26
- Sow outdoors
- May 19 – May 26
Cantaloupetender
Next: start indoors from Apr 14
- Start indoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 21
- Sow outdoors
- May 19 – May 26
Peahardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Spinachhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Kohlrabihardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Radishhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Beethalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – May 12
Turniphardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Bulb onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Green onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 14
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
Kalehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 21
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 21 – Apr 21
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Collardshardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 21
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 21 – Apr 21
- Sow for fall
- Jul 10 – Jul 24
Swiss chardhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
Carrothalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
Potatohalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
Parsniphalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 12
Dillhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Apr 28
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 28 – May 5
May
The next window opens in May.
Bush beantender
Next: sow outdoors from May 12
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Pole beantender
Next: sow outdoors from May 12
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Sweet corntender
Next: sow outdoors from May 12
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Basiltender
Next: sow outdoors from May 12
- Sow outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Marjoramtender
Next: transplant outdoors from May 12
- Transplant outdoors
- May 12 – May 12
Pumpkintender
Next: sow outdoors from May 19
- Sow outdoors
- May 19 – May 26
Lima beantender
Next: sow outdoors from May 26
- Sow outdoors
- May 26 – May 26
August
The next window opens in August.
Sweet alyssumhardy
Next: sow for fall from Aug 21
- Sow for fall
- Aug 21 – Aug 21
No window listed
No frost-based window for these crops.
Mustard greenshalf hardy
No frost-based window listed.
No frost-based sowing window is listed for mustard greens.
Crop guidance from university extension services; see each crop page for sources.
Questions
- When is the last frost in Milwaukee?
- The typical last spring frost (32°F) in Milwaukee is Apr 26. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, a frost still comes after May 12.
- When is the first frost in Milwaukee?
- The typical first fall frost is Oct 18. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, it arrives before Oct 2.
- When should I start tomato seeds in Milwaukee?
- Start tomato seeds indoors between Mar 17 and Mar 31, counting back from the safer last-frost date.
- What planting zone is Milwaukee in?
- Milwaukee is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map, going by ZIP 53210, the ZIP nearest the city center. Zones can vary within a city. The zone describes how cold winter nights get, not when to plant; for that, use the frost dates on this page.
Nearby cities
- Chicago, IL 138 km
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