Frost dates for Hill City, SD
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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
June 19
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 10
typical year
Growing season
102 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | Jul 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | May 4 – 25 | Jul 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | May 4 – Jun 15 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onions | – | May 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jun 18 – Jul 2 |
| Beets | – | May 4 – 18 | Jul 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – 18 | Jul 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Mar 9 – 23 | May 4 – 18 | Jul 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 30 – Aug 20 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 19 – Jul 3 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 19 – Jul 10 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 19 – Jul 17 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 19 – Jul 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | May 15 – 29 | Jun 26 – Jul 3 | – |
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 19 | June 1 | May 18 |
| Fall frost before | August 29 | September 10 | September 26 |
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 18 (June 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 21.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Hill City
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HILL CITY, SD US (USC00393868), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 13 miles:
57745
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.