Growing Beets in Montana: Soil, Sowing and Bolting
Montana’s state soil, the Scobey series, is a Mollisol: 35 percent sand, 31 percent clay, 34 percent silt, surface pH near 7.0, well drained, with about 2.
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 Does the Heating Season Start in Montana?
Montana’s heating season opens in September, based on 1991-2020 normals for Billings, the month the average temperature first drops below the 65 F…
When to Plant Potatoes in Montana: Counting Back From Your Last Frost
Plant potatoes in Billings between roughly April 8 and April 26, using the region’s last spring frost window of April 29 to May 10 as the anchor (source…
Harvesting and Storing Potatoes in Montana
In Montana, dig potatoes before the first fall frost hits, typically between October 1 and October 14 in the milder valleys.
Potato Varieties That Suit Montana
Montana’s growing season runs short and its soil warms fast once summer heat arrives, so the varieties that do well are early to mid-season types that…
What to Plant in Montana in September
September in Montana means garlic and shallots go into the ground, spring bulbs get tucked in for their winter nap, and cold frames start earning their…
What to Plant in Montana in October
October in Montana means one thing above all: the first fall frost is landing somewhere in the state, often statewide.
What to Plant in Montana in November
By November, most of Montana has already crossed its first fall frost, so the open garden is done for the season in nearly every county.
What to Plant in Montana in May
Early May in Montana still sits inside the frost window for much of the state, so the safe planting list for this month splits in two: hardy crops that…
What to Plant in Montana in March
Direct answer: almost nothing goes into open Montana ground in March. NOAA’s 1991-2020 Climate Normals for Billings put the last spring freeze between…