Cooperative extension offices

University of Minnesota Extension gardening

Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving Minnesota. Listed as a reference, not an endorsement.

Overview

University of Minnesota Extension provides gardening guidance for Minnesota conditions, including plant selection, soil, water, and season extension. This listing is provided for reference, not as an endorsement, certification, ranking, or guarantee of current availability.

Services and programs

  • Minnesota gardening guidance
  • Plant selection
  • Soil and nutrient information

What to verify before you go

Contact the organization or review its official source before making a trip, placing an order, joining a garden, or applying for funding. Details that commonly change include:

  • Current regional recommendations
  • Local contacts and classes

Related directory resources

Browse all extension offices or return to the directory hub.

Sources and last verified

Source: University of Minnesota Extension. Last checked 2026-10-04.

University of Minnesota Extension provides gardening guidance shaped by Minnesota's cooler climate and growing season.

What this listing covers

The gardening resource includes plant selection, soil and nutrients, watering, food gardening, and ways to extend the season. The source is useful for checking whether a crop or plant fits northern conditions.

Before planting

Use the current regional guidance, then compare it with your site, soil, and microclimate. Check extension contacts for questions not answered by the published material.

More tools

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Calculate

Seed germination calculator

Turn a towel test into a sowing rate.

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Calculate

Raised bed calculator

Get a lumber cut list and soil volume for a bed.

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Calculate

Square foot garden planner

Lay out a bed in 1 foot squares and count the plants.

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Choose

Companion planting

Compare plants for practical compatibility.

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Garden guides

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Greenhouse growing

Greenhouse temperature guide for seeds and seedlings

Use crop-specific greenhouse temperatures for seed germination, seedlings, frost protection, and ventilation, with practical day and night ranges.

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Diagram of a raised bed cross section showing timber walls, a layer of existing soil or coarse fill, and the measured depth of new soil being added.

Materials

How much soil does a raised bed need?

How to measure a raised bed and turn the volume into bags or bulk cubic yards, with a worked example for a common 8 by 4 bed.

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October calendar diagram showing planting windows for garlic, spring bulbs, hardy greens, and cover crops closing as the first fall frost approaches.

Seasonal

What can I plant right now in my garden?

In early October, most US gardeners can still plant garlic, spring bulbs, hardy greens, and cover crops. Here is what is still open and what has closed.

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Diagram of a tulip bulb in a soil cross section planted at about three times its own height, pointed end up, with a depth marker of 6 to 8 inches.

Fall planting

When should I plant tulip bulbs?

Plant tulip bulbs in fall, about 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes. Here is how the window shifts by region and how deep to plant.

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Plant library

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Illustration of a brussels sprouts stalk lined with small round buds

Vegetable

Brussels sprouts

A long-season brassica that rewards patience with sweet sprouts after autumn frosts.

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Illustration of a squash vine with lobed leaves and a pear shaped butternut fruit

Vegetable

Butternut squash

A long warm-season vine whose hard-skinned fruit cures for months of winter storage.

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Illustration of a round cabbage head wrapped in outer leaves

Vegetable

Cabbage

A cool-season brassica grown for dense heads that keep well in storage.

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Illustration of a pale cauliflower head made of tight florets

Vegetable

Cauliflower

The fussiest common brassica, rewarding steady cool growth with tight white curds.

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Glossary terms

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pests and diseases

Disease triangle

The disease triangle describes how a susceptible host, a disease-causing organism, and suitable environmental conditions must overlap for disease to develop.

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soil

Drainage

Drainage is the movement of excess water through or away from soil. Good drainage keeps roots supplied with water without leaving the root zone saturated.

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timing

First frost date

A first frost date estimates when a location may experience its first autumn freeze. Use it to plan harvest and protection, not as a guarantee.

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timing

Frost tolerant

Frost tolerant describes a plant that can survive or continue growing through some freezing conditions, although tolerance varies by species, stage, and duration.

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Gardening directories

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