Frost dates for Gardiner, 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 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 27
typical year
Growing season
128 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 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 23 – May 14 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Apr 23 – May 7 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Kale | Mar 12 – 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Broccoli | Mar 12 – 26 | May 7 – 21 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Cabbage | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 16 – Sep 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 14 – 28 | Jun 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 7 – 21 | Jun 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 9 – Jul 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 9 – Jul 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 9 – Jul 7 | – |
| Basil | May 5 – 19 | Jun 16 – 23 | – |
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 9 | May 21 | May 5 |
| Fall frost before | September 12 | September 27 | October 11 |
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 6 (May 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 7.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GARDINER, MT US (USC00243378), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 24 miles:
59027, 59030, 59730
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.