Frost dates for Culbertson, MT
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
May 21
typical year
Safe to plant
June 3
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 20
typical year
Growing season
120 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Apr 23 – May 7 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 9 – 30 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Apr 23 – May 7 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| Beets | – | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Mar 12 – 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Mar 12 – 26 | May 7 – 21 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 8 – 22 | Jun 3 – 17 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 1 – 15 | Jun 10 – 24 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 3 – 24 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 3 – Jul 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 3 – 24 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 3 – Jul 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 3 – Jul 1 | – |
| Basil | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jun 10 – 17 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | June 3 | May 21 | May 8 |
| Fall frost before | September 6 | September 20 | September 30 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around May 10 (May 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 27.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Culbertson, Bainville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CULBERTSON, MT US (USC00242122), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
59212, 59218
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.