Frost dates for Fessenden, ND
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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
May 26
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 28
typical year
Growing season
139 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 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 1 – 22 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Onions | – | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jul 6 – 20 |
| Beets | – | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Broccoli | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – 29 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 17 – Sep 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 26 – Jun 9 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Jun 2 – 16 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 26 – Jun 16 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 26 – Jun 23 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 26 – Jun 16 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 26 – Jul 20 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 26 – Jun 23 | – |
| Basil | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 2 – 9 | – |
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 | May 26 | May 13 | April 30 |
| Fall frost before | September 15 | September 28 | 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 2 (May 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 6.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Fessenden, Bowdon, Cathay, Hamberg
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FESSENDEN, ND US (USC00322949), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
58422, 58438
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.