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

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Planting Calendar for Helena, 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 15 (at HELENA RGNL AP, MT climate station, elevation 3828 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds Outdoors
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost May 1-15
Moon May 1- 5
BasilFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 15-Jun 5
Moon May 19-Jun 3
N/A
BeetsN/AN/AFrost May 1-22
Moon May 6-18
Bell PeppersFrost Mar 5-20
Moon Mar 5- 7
Frost May 22-Jun 5
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
Bok ChoyFrost Apr 3-17
Moon Apr 3- 5
Frost May 22-Jun 5
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
BroccoliFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost Apr 17-May 8
Moon Apr 19-May 5
N/A
CabbageFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost Apr 17-May 1
Moon Apr 19-May 1
N/A
CantaloupesFrost Apr 17-24
Moon Apr 19-24
Frost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
N/A
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Apr 10-24
Moon Apr 10-18
CauliflowerFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost Apr 17-May 8
Moon Apr 19-May 5
N/A
CeleryFrost Mar 5-20
Moon Mar 5- 7
Frost May 22-Jun 5
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
ChivesN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-24
Moon Apr 19-24
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost May 15-29
Moon May 19-29
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-May 1
Moon Apr 19-May 1
CornN/AN/AFrost May 29-Jun 19
Moon May 29-Jun 3, Jun 17-19
CucumbersFrost Apr 17-24
Moon Apr 19-24
Frost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
N/A
DillN/AN/AFrost May 15-Jun 19
Moon May 19-Jun 3
EggplantsFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)Frost Feb 19-Mar 5
Moon Feb 20-Mar 5
Frost Mar 27-Apr 17
Moon Mar 27-Apr 5
N/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost May 22-Jun 12
Moon May 22-Jun 3
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Mar 5-20
Moon Mar 5- 7
Frost May 22-Jun 5
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
KaleFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost Apr 17-May 8
Moon Apr 19-May 5
N/A
KohlrabiFrost Apr 3-17
Moon Apr 3- 5
Frost Apr 24-May 1
Moon Apr 24-May 1
N/A
LettuceFrost Apr 3-17
Moon Apr 3- 5
Frost May 1-29
Moon May 1- 5, May 19-29
N/A
OkraN/AN/AFrost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
OnionsN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-May 8
Moon Apr 17-18, May 6- 8
OreganoFrost Mar 5-Apr 3
Moon Mar 5- 7, Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 15-Jun 5
Moon May 19-Jun 3
N/A
ParsleyN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-May 1
Moon Apr 19-May 1
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 24-May 15
Moon May 6-15
PeasN/AN/AFrost Apr 3-24
Moon Apr 3- 5, Apr 19-24
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-May 1
Moon Apr 17-18
PumpkinsFrost Apr 24-May 8
Moon Apr 24-May 5
Frost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
N/A
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 20-Apr 10
Moon Mar 20, Apr 6-10
RosemaryFrost Mar 5-20
Moon Mar 5- 7
Frost May 22-Jun 12
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
SageFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 15-29
Moon May 19-29
N/A
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Apr 3-24
Moon Apr 3- 5, Apr 19-24
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Jun 5-19
Moon Jun 5-16
Swiss ChardFrost Apr 3-17
Moon Apr 3- 5
Frost Apr 24-May 1
Moon Apr 24-May 1
N/A
ThymeFrost Mar 5-Apr 3
Moon Mar 5- 7, Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 15-Jun 5
Moon May 19-Jun 3
N/A
TomatillosFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost Jun 5-19
Moon Jun 17-19
N/A
TomatoesFrost Mar 20-Apr 3
Moon Mar 21-Apr 3
Frost May 22-Jun 12
Moon May 22-Jun 3
N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 17-May 8
Moon Apr 17-18, May 6- 8
WatermelonsFrost Apr 17-24
Moon Apr 19-24
Frost May 29-Jun 12
Moon May 29-Jun 3
N/A
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost May 29-Jun 26
Moon May 29-Jun 3, Jun 17-26
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost May 29-Jun 26
Moon May 29-Jun 3, Jun 17-26

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on September 25 (at HELENA RGNL AP, MT climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Start Seeds Indoors by...Plant Seedlings Outdoors by...Start Seeds Outdoors by...
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost Aug 21
BeetsN/AN/AFrost Aug 11
Bell PeppersFrost Apr 12Frost Jun 7N/A
Bok ChoyN/AN/AFrost Aug 16
BroccoliFrost Jun 14Frost Jul 12N/A
CabbageFrost Jun 4Frost Jul 2N/A
CantaloupesN/AN/AFrost June 12
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Aug 6
CauliflowerFrost Jun 14Frost Jul 12N/A
CeleryFrost Apr 3Frost Jun 12N/A
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Jul 27
CornN/AN/AFrost June 19
CucumbersN/AN/AFrost Jun 22
EggplantsFrost Apr 12Frost June 12N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Jul 27
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Jun 22
Jalapeño PeppersFrost May 2Frost Jun 27N/A
KaleFrost Jul 4Frost Aug 1N/A
KohlrabiN/AN/AFrost Aug 6
LettuceN/AN/AFrost Aug 16
OkraN/AN/AFrost Jun 17
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Jun 22
PeasN/AN/AFrost Jul 22
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Jun 7
PumpkinsN/AN/AFrost June 12
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Aug 21
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Aug 31
Sweet PotatoesFrost Apr 23Frost June 19N/A
Swiss ChardN/AN/AFrost Aug 16
TomatillosN/AN/AFrost June 19
TomatoesFrost Apr 17Frost Jun 12N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Aug 16
WatermelonsN/AN/AFrost June 12
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost June 26
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost Jun 27
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