Frost dates for Turner, 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 19
typical year
Safe to plant
June 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 21
typical year
Growing season
124 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 21 – May 5 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 7 – 28 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Apr 21 – May 5 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 28 – May 12 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jun 29 – Jul 13 |
| Beets | – | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Mar 10 – 24 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Mar 10 – 24 | May 5 – 19 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 10 – 31 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 6 – 20 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Jun 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 1 – Jul 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 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 | June 1 | May 19 | May 7 |
| Fall frost before | September 8 | September 21 | October 2 |
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 9 (May 22 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 30.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TURNER 11N, MT US (USC00248415), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 12 miles:
59542
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.