What to plant this week in International Falls, MN
International Falls gardeners are currently in the deep freeze phase where active planting pauses, but you can still start garlic indoors or plan your fall harvest timeline. With average last frost not arriving until mid-May and first frosts hitting by late September, this week is strictly about cold-hardy preparation rather than outdoor sowing.
The next 7 days
International Falls, MNGrowing in International Falls right now
- Wait for soil to thaw completely before any transplanting attempts; the ground remains frozen well into May due to our Zone 3b extremes of -35°F lows.
- Focus your energy on prepping seed trays indoors now, as you will need a full six weeks to get tomatoes and peppers ready by that crucial mid-May frost date.
- When selecting varieties for this week's harvestable list like winter squash or potatoes, prioritize short-season cultivars to ensure they mature before our hard September 20th freeze.
Sow this week
1 crops- Garlic
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
15 crops- Beefsteak Tomato
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Leek
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Sunflower
- Winter Squash
Seasonal tips
- Finish succession sowings of Bush Beans now that the soil has warmed up significantly.
- Apply a thick layer of straw or leaves around Winter Squash and Pumpkin to protect them from early frosts.
- Prune dead foliage off Cosmos and Dahlia plants immediately after harvesting to keep the garden tidy.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor stored garlic and onions for internal rot if temperatures spike unexpectedly in unheated sheds during late fall frosts.
- Watch for early blight on any remaining tomato plants left out after the first frost, as high humidity often follows our sudden temperature drops.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to help summer crops finish strong, but reduce frequency as autumn air cools down.
Since Garlic is listed for sowing now, ensure your cloves are firm and free of rot before pushing them into cool soil.
International Falls gardening questions
3Can I plant anything outside this week in International Falls?
No outdoor planting is recommended right now because the soil is still frozen solid and air temperatures are too low for germination. Use this time to start your garlic indoors instead, as that is the only item on our current list meant for immediate indoor sowing.
When should I stop watering my pumpkins and winter squash?
You can continue light watering until about two weeks before your target harvest date in September to help the skins harden for storage. Stop completely once the first frost hits around September 20th, as wet foliage promotes rot on these fall crops.
Are my summer flowers like cosmos and sunflowers safe to leave out over winter?
Absolutely not; these plants listed for harvest soon will die back immediately after a hard freeze and should be cut down once they show signs of freezing damage. Leave the stems up until you are ready to clear garden beds in late spring so birds can still use them for nesting.
Other cities in zone 3b
4See the full zone 3b guide → · Plan your International Falls garden in SproutGuide →