Frost dates for Spearfish, 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
May 12
typical year
Safe to plant
May 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 2
typical year
Growing season
143 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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 14 – May 5 | Aug 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 14 – May 26 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Onions | – | Apr 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 21 – May 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Beets | – | Apr 14 – 28 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Kale | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 14 – 28 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Cabbage | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – 28 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 21 – Sep 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 25 – Jul 24 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Basil | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | May 12 | April 29 |
| Fall frost before | September 21 | October 2 | October 17 |
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 April 30 (May 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 12.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Spearfish, Belle Fourche
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SPEARFISH, SD US (USC00397882), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
57779, 57783, 57799
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.