LawnWeather

Minnesota Lawn Care Calendar

In Minnesota, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Apr 20 and Jun 10: first in Minneapolis, last in Duluth. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Minneapolis, Rochester, Duluth, St. Paul and St. Cloud, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in Minnesota

Typically between Apr 20 and Jun 10, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Minneapolis (around Apr 20) and last in Duluth (around May 23). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
MinneapolisApr 20 – May 15
RochesterApr 20 – May 16
St. PaulApr 21 – May 15
St. CloudMay 5 – May 16
DuluthMay 23 – Jun 10

Cool-season lawn calendar

Lawns across Minnesota are mostly cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass).

CitySpring fertilizerOverseeding & seedingFall fertilizer
MinneapolisMay 8 – Jun 12Aug 10 – Sep 29Aug 28 – Oct 29
RochesterMay 9 – Jun 13Jul 31 – Sep 19Aug 3 – Oct 29
DuluthJun 3 – Jul 8Aug 9 – Sep 28Jul 19 – Oct 26
St. PaulMay 8 – Jun 12Aug 7 – Sep 26Sep 2 – Oct 29
St. CloudMay 9 – Jun 13Jul 27 – Sep 15Jul 28 – Oct 24

Frost dates in Minnesota

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
MinneapolisApr 23Oct 24
RochesterApr 28Oct 14
DuluthMay 4Oct 23
St. PaulApr 22Oct 21
St. CloudMay 2Oct 10

Median dates, 2016–2025. A dash means frost does not occur in most years.

Frequently asked questions

When should I put down pre-emergent in Minnesota?

Typically between Apr 20 and Jun 10, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Minneapolis (around Apr 20) and last in Duluth (around May 23). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in Minnesota?

Early fall is best for cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass): typically from Jul 27 to Sep 29 across Minnesota, while soil cools from 65°F toward 50°F.

What type of grass grows in Minnesota?

Most lawns in Minnesota are cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass).

Lawn care guides

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