Frost dates for E Glacier, 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
June 8
typical year
Safe to plant
July 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 5
typical year
Growing season
88 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 | – | May 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | May 11 – Jun 22 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Onions | – | May 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 18 – Jun 8 | Jun 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | May 11 – 25 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Kale | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 11 – 25 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Broccoli | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Cabbage | Mar 16 – 30 | May 11 – 25 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 25 – Aug 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | – | Jul 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jul 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 8 – 15 | – |
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 | July 1 | June 8 | May 24 |
| Fall frost before | August 20 | September 5 | September 20 |
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 21 (June 7 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 23.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station E GLACIER, MT US (USC00242629), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 21 miles:
59417, 59448, 59936
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.