I think it's a bit too early, even for those cool season crops. Today the average minimum in MN is 33 F, but if you look at record lows, you see it often gets much colder than that well into May.

MN's last average frost date is between May 1 and May 31. The cool season crops can be planted about three weeks before the last frost. I'll plant my mesclun, chard, beets, etc. toward the end of April.

If you rig up a cold frame or greenhouse, you could start earlier though.

Once they're planted, can they survive a snow? It depends on how cold it gets and for how long. I'll cover them with a sheet for short cold spells and they survive fine.

I should have mentioned that since I am somewhat disabled all my plantings will be in containers. My husband wanted to know why I wasn't going to put these cold crop containers on our back sun porch. It's warmer because of the house, but the screens are all comvered, so I can get plenty of sun without having to worry about snow. I will try one bowl of the mesclun this week, put it on the porch, and just see what happens.

Thanks for jogging our brains with the coldframe reference or my DH would never had reminded me I could use the porch.

Linda, do try the bowl of mesclun. I planted a bowl outside in an unheated greenhouse a couple weeks ago and it's nicely sprouted, as are the spinach and most lettuces and bachelor buttons and poppies planted at the same time. The sweet peas, alas, are still no-shows, but I still have hope.