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2023 Planting Calendar: When to Start Vegetable Seeds | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Planting Calendar for Fort Benton, MT

For the Almanac's fall and spring planting calendars, we've calculated the best time to start seeds indoors, when to transplant young plants outside, and when to direct seed into the ground.

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Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on May 20 (at FT BENTON, MT climate station, elevation 2647 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds Outdoors
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost May 6-20
Moon May 19-20
BasilFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost May 20-Jun 10
Moon May 20-Jun 3
N/A
BeetsN/AN/AFrost May 6-27
Moon May 6-18
Bell PeppersFrost Mar 10-25
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost May 27-Jun 10
Moon May 27-Jun 3
N/A
Bok ChoyFrost Apr 8-22
Moon Apr 19-22
Frost May 27-Jun 10
Moon May 27-Jun 3
N/A
BroccoliFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Apr 22-May 13
Moon Apr 22-May 5
N/A
CabbageFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Apr 22-May 6
Moon Apr 22-May 5
N/A
CantaloupesFrost Apr 22-29
Moon Apr 22-29
Frost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
N/A
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Apr 15-29
Moon Apr 15-18
CauliflowerFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Apr 22-May 13
Moon Apr 22-May 5
N/A
CeleryFrost Mar 10-25
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost May 27-Jun 10
Moon May 27-Jun 3
N/A
ChivesN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-29
Moon Apr 22-29
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost May 20-Jun 3
Moon May 20-Jun 3
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-May 6
Moon Apr 22-May 5
CornN/AN/AFrost Jun 3-24
Moon Jun 3, Jun 18-24
CucumbersFrost Apr 22-29
Moon Apr 22-29
Frost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
N/A
DillN/AN/AFrost May 20-Jun 24
Moon May 20-Jun 3, Jun 17-24
EggplantsFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)Frost Feb 24-Mar 10
Moon Feb 24-Mar 7
Frost Apr 1-22
Moon Apr 1- 5, Apr 19-22
N/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost May 27-Jun 17
Moon May 27-Jun 3, Jun 17
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Mar 10-25
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost May 27-Jun 10
Moon May 27-Jun 3
N/A
KaleFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Apr 22-May 13
Moon Apr 22-May 5
N/A
KohlrabiFrost Apr 8-22
Moon Apr 19-22
Frost Apr 29-May 6
Moon Apr 29-May 5
N/A
LettuceFrost Apr 8-22
Moon Apr 19-22
Frost May 6-Jun 3
Moon May 19-Jun 3
N/A
OkraN/AN/AFrost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
OnionsN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-May 13
Moon May 6-13
OreganoFrost Mar 10-Apr 8
Moon Mar 21-Apr 5
Frost May 20-Jun 10
Moon May 20-Jun 3
N/A
ParsleyN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-May 6
Moon Apr 22-May 5
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 29-May 20
Moon May 6-18
PeasN/AN/AFrost Apr 8-29
Moon Apr 19-29
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-May 6
Moon May 6
PumpkinsFrost Apr 29-May 13
Moon Apr 29-May 5
Frost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
N/A
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 25-Apr 15
Moon Apr 6-15
RosemaryFrost Mar 10-25
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost May 27-Jun 17
Moon May 27-Jun 3, Jun 17
N/A
SageFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost May 20-Jun 3
Moon May 20-Jun 3
N/A
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Apr 8-29
Moon Apr 19-29
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Jun 10-24
Moon Jun 10-16
Swiss ChardFrost Apr 8-22
Moon Apr 19-22
Frost Apr 29-May 6
Moon Apr 29-May 5
N/A
ThymeFrost Mar 10-Apr 8
Moon Mar 21-Apr 5
Frost May 20-Jun 10
Moon May 20-Jun 3
N/A
TomatillosFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost Jun 10-24
Moon Jun 17-24
N/A
TomatoesFrost Mar 25-Apr 8
Moon Mar 25-Apr 5
Frost May 27-Jun 17
Moon May 27-Jun 3, Jun 17
N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 22-May 13
Moon May 6-13
WatermelonsFrost Apr 22-29
Moon Apr 22-29
Frost Jun 3-17
Moon Jun 3
N/A
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost Jun 3-Jul 1
Moon Jun 3, Jun 18-Jul 1
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost Jun 3-Jul 1
Moon Jun 3, Jun 18-Jul 1

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on September 17 (at FT BENTON, MT climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Start Seeds Indoors by...Plant Seedlings Outdoors by...Start Seeds Outdoors by...
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost Aug 13
BeetsN/AN/AFrost Aug 3
Bell PeppersFrost Apr 4Frost June 10N/A
Bok ChoyN/AN/AFrost Aug 8
BroccoliFrost Jun 6Frost Jul 4N/A
CabbageFrost May 27Frost Jun 24N/A
CantaloupesN/AN/AFrost June 17
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Jul 29
CauliflowerFrost Jun 6Frost Jul 4N/A
CeleryFrost Mar 26Frost June 10N/A
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Jul 19
CornN/AN/AFrost June 24
CucumbersN/AN/AFrost June 17
EggplantsFrost Apr 4Frost June 17N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Jul 19
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost June 17
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Apr 24Frost Jun 19N/A
KaleFrost Jun 26Frost Jul 24N/A
KohlrabiN/AN/AFrost Jul 29
LettuceN/AN/AFrost Aug 8
OkraN/AN/AFrost June 17
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Jun 14
PeasN/AN/AFrost Jul 14
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost May 30
PumpkinsN/AN/AFrost June 17
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Aug 13
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Aug 23
Sweet PotatoesFrost Apr 15Frost June 24N/A
Swiss ChardN/AN/AFrost Aug 8
TomatillosN/AN/AFrost June 24
TomatoesFrost Apr 9Frost June 17N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Aug 8
WatermelonsN/AN/AFrost June 17
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost July 1
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost July 1
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