When to Sow Sweet Corn in Montana
Sweet corn in Montana’s milder valleys goes into the ground once the soil, not just the air, holds steady above 60°F.
Gardening in Montana
Everything we have worked out for Montana: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Billings, the last spring freeze runs April 29 to May 10 and the first fall freeze runs October 1 to October 14, USDA zones 3a-6a, 2,855 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 30.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Montana: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Sow Autumn Spinach in Montana
Spinach can go in the ground twice a year around Billings, but both windows are short.
Will Spinach Bolt Early in Montana?
Yes. Around Billings, Montana, spinach will bolt early no matter how mild the summer feels, because the trigger is daylight, not heat.
Will Montana Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Montana’s state soil, the Scobey series, is rated well drained by USDA NRCS, and that single trait matters more than anything else for a bed meant to…
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Montana
In Montana, plant asparagus crowns in early spring, right around the region’s last frost window of April 29 to May 10.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Montana
Soil is the trigger, not the calendar: Montana pumpkins go in the ground once the soil holds steady at 65°F, which lands well after the last spring frost…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Montana?
In Montana’s milder valleys, the fall frost usually arrives between October 1 and October 14.
When to Sow Parsnips in Montana
The safe window for sowing parsnip seed in Montana runs from mid to late April, roughly two to three weeks ahead of the last spring frost.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Montana?
Yes, given typical conditions in the Billings area, Montana’s climate delivers enough frosty weeks to sweeten parsnips left in the ground after maturity.
Growing Sweet Corn in Montana: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn can ripen in parts of Montana, but the answer depends less on frost dates than on soil temperature and variety length.