Bismarck, North Dakota planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Bismarck

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bismarck, 2.8 miles SSE of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Bismarck

1. January

   Start indoors: onions

2. February

   Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

3. March

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cantaloupes, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

5. May

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, collard greens, lettuce, swiss chard

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, okra, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tulips, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Bismarck

All 3 of Bismarck's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Bismarck, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 4a.

Planting dates for popular crops in Bismarck

Nearby cities

• Fargo, ND zone 4a, last frost May 10
• Grand Forks, ND zone 4a, last frost May 10
• Rapid City, SD zone 5b, last frost May 3
• Sioux Falls, SD zone 5a, last frost May 1
• St. Cloud, MN zone 4b, last frost May 7
• Sioux City, IA zone 5a, last frost Apr 29