Plan your winter squash planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.
Madison WI, Des Moines, southern MN, central MI. Average last spring frost May 8, first fall frost September 29 — a 144-day frost-free season.
Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.
Cure fruit at 80–85°F for 10 days after harvest to extend storage. Plant early enough to mature before first frost.
Plant near: corn, beans
Keep away from: potatoes
BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.