Frost dates for Stephan, 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 10
typical year
Safe to plant
May 24
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 29
typical year
Growing season
140 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 12 – May 24 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Onions | – | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 19 – May 3 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jul 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Apr 12 – 26 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Kale | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 26 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Cabbage | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – 26 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 18 – Sep 8 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 24 – Jun 7 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 31 – Jun 14 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 24 – Jun 14 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 24 – Jun 21 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 24 – Jun 14 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 24 – Jul 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 24 – Jun 21 | – |
| Basil | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 31 – Jun 7 | – |
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 24 | May 10 | April 29 |
| Fall frost before | September 16 | September 29 | 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 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 6.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station STEPHAN 2 NW, SD US (USC00397992), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 1 miles:
57346
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.