When to Sow Autumn Spinach in South Dakota
Sow autumn spinach in South Dakota once the soil has cooled below 80°F, roughly 50 to 75 days before your target harvest date.
Gardening in South Dakota
Everything we have worked out for South Dakota: 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 Sioux Falls, the last spring freeze runs April 29 to May 9 and the first fall freeze runs September 24 to October 4, USDA zones 3b-5b, 3,003 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 South Dakota: 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.
Will Spinach Bolt Early in South Dakota?
Yes. Spinach bolts early almost everywhere in South Dakota, and it has less to do with a hot afternoon than with the calendar itself.
Will South Dakota Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Yes, in most of South Dakota, but the state’s own soil survey data draws a line: an asparagus bed only asks for drainage, and not every acre in the state…
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in South Dakota
Crowns go into South Dakota ground in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked, roughly bracketing the state’s late-April to early-May frost window.
Growing Sweet Corn in South Dakota: Will It Ripen?
Sweet corn can ripen in South Dakota, but the calendar works against it more than most gardeners expect.
Growing Asparagus in South Dakota: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Fifteen years is a long time to bet on one patch of dirt. South Dakota’s official soil, the Houdek series, drains well by nature, which means most of the…
When to Sow Pumpkins in South Dakota
Sow pumpkin seed once soil hits 65°F, but the number that really controls your calendar is the fall frost date.
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in South Dakota?
Yes, but only within a narrow calendar. South Dakota’s first fall frost arrives September 24 to October 4 near the reference weather station, and a…
When to Sow Parsnips in South Dakota
Aim for mid to late April, roughly two to three weeks ahead of South Dakota’s typical last spring frost.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in South Dakota?
Yes. Sioux Falls averages a coldest-month low of 8.5°F, and that kind of sustained deep cold guarantees the parsnip several frosty weeks in the ground…