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What Grows in South Dakota?

South Dakota has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Eastern South Dakota is Zone 4b-5a; western South Dakota is colder. Short growing seasons.

Primary zone

Zone 4b

Last frost

mid-April

First frost

mid-October

Growing season

155 days
Quick Answer

In South Dakota, you can grow 83 plants well. The state spans zones 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b with a 155-day season.

What grows well in South Dakota

Tomato plant

Tomato

60–85 days · intermediate
Grows wellCherry Tomato plant

Cherry Tomato

55–70 days · beginner
Grows wellBell Pepper plant

Bell Pepper

70–90 days · intermediate
Grows wellChili Pepper plant

Chili Pepper

65–80 days · beginner
Grows wellCucumber plant

Cucumber

50–70 days · beginner
Grows wellZucchini plant

Zucchini

45–60 days · beginner
Grows wellGreen Beans plant

Green Beans

50–65 days · beginner
Grows wellLettuce plant

Lettuce

30–60 days · beginner
Grows wellSpinach plant

Spinach

40–50 days · beginner
Grows wellKale plant

Kale

55–75 days · beginner
Grows wellBroccoli plant

Broccoli

60–80 days · intermediate
Grows wellCarrot plant

Carrot

70–80 days · intermediate
Grows wellRadish plant

Radish

22–30 days · beginner
Grows wellBeets plant

Beets

50–70 days · beginner
Grows wellOnion plant

Onion

90–120 days · intermediate
Grows wellGarlic plant

Garlic

240–270 days · beginner
Grows wellPotato plant

Potato

70–120 days · beginner
Grows wellCorn plant

Corn

60–90 days · intermediate
Grows wellPeas plant

Peas

55–70 days · beginner
Grows wellCabbage plant

Cabbage

70–120 days · intermediate
Grows wellBrussels Sprouts plant

Brussels Sprouts

90–180 days · advanced
Grows wellSwiss Chard plant

Swiss Chard

50–60 days · beginner
Grows wellArugula plant

Arugula

21–40 days · beginner
Grows wellMicrogreens plant

Microgreens

7–21 days · beginner
Grows wellPumpkin plant

Pumpkin

75–100 days · beginner
Grows wellLeek plant

Leek

100–150 days · intermediate
Grows wellAsparagus plant

Asparagus

2 years · advanced
Grows wellRhubarb plant

Rhubarb

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellBasil plant

Basil

30–60 days · beginner
Grows wellMint plant

Mint

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellThyme plant

Thyme

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellOregano plant

Oregano

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellParsley plant

Parsley

70–90 days · beginner
Grows wellCilantro plant

Cilantro

21–45 days · beginner
Grows wellChives plant

Chives

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellDill plant

Dill

40–60 days · beginner
Grows wellSage plant

Sage

Perennial · intermediate
Grows wellStrawberry plant

Strawberry

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellBlueberry plant

Blueberry

Perennial · intermediate
Grows wellRaspberry plant

Raspberry

Perennial · intermediate
Grows wellApple plant

Apple

Perennial · intermediate
Grows wellGrape plant

Grape

Perennial · intermediate
Grows wellWatermelon plant

Watermelon

70–90 days · intermediate
Grows wellSunflower plant

Sunflower

60–80 days · beginner
Grows wellTurnip plant

Turnip

45–60 days · beginner
Grows wellParsnip plant

Parsnip

100–130 days · intermediate
Grows wellRutabaga plant

Rutabaga

90–105 days · beginner
Grows wellCeleriac plant

Celeriac

110–120 days · advanced
Grows wellFlorence Fennel plant

Florence Fennel

65–90 days · intermediate
Grows wellKohlrabi plant

Kohlrabi

45–60 days · beginner
Grows wellBok Choy plant

Bok Choy

45–60 days · beginner
Grows wellMustard Greens plant

Mustard Greens

30–40 days · beginner
Grows wellFrench Tarragon plant

French Tarragon

60–90 days · intermediate
Grows wellLemon Balm plant

Lemon Balm

60–70 days · beginner
Grows wellBorage plant

Borage

50–60 days · beginner
Grows wellGerman Chamomile plant

German Chamomile

60–90 days · beginner
Grows wellGooseberry plant

Gooseberry

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellRed Currant plant

Red Currant

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellElderberry plant

Elderberry

Perennial · beginner
Grows wellGround Cherry plant

Ground Cherry

70–85 days · beginner
Grows wellFava Beans plant

Fava Beans

80–100 days · intermediate
Grows wellSnap Peas plant

Snap Peas

60–70 days · beginner
Grows wellFenugreek (Methi) plant

Fenugreek (Methi)

20–30 days · beginner
Grows wellAmaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) plant

Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira)

50–75 days · beginner
Grows wellCauliflower plant

Cauliflower

60–100 days · intermediate
Grows wellCelery plant

Celery

90–120 days · advanced
Grows wellWinter Squash plant

Winter Squash

90–120 days · beginner
Grows wellButternut Squash plant

Butternut Squash

100–120 days · beginner
Grows wellCantaloupe plant

Cantaloupe

70–100 days · intermediate
Grows wellHoneydew plant

Honeydew

80–110 days · intermediate
Grows wellApricot plant

Apricot

2–5 years · intermediate
Grows wellPlum plant

Plum

3–6 years · beginner
Grows wellCherry plant

Cherry

3–7 years · intermediate
Grows wellPear plant

Pear

3–7 years · beginner
Grows wellCranberry plant

Cranberry

2–3 years · advanced
Grows wellShallot plant

Shallot

90–150 days · beginner
Grows wellScallion plant

Scallion

25–45 days · beginner
Grows wellHorseradish plant

Horseradish

300–365 days · beginner
Grows wellWatercress plant

Watercress

30–60 days · beginner
Grows wellSorrel plant

Sorrel

30–60 days · beginner
Grows wellCalendula plant

Calendula

50–70 days · beginner
Grows wellMarjoram plant

Marjoram

70–100 days · beginner
Grows wellSavory plant

Savory

60–80 days · beginner
Grows well

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is South Dakota?

South Dakota spans 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b zones, with a primary zone of 4b.

When is the last frost in South Dakota?

The average last frost is mid-April, and the first frost is mid-October.

What grows well in South Dakota?

83 plants grow well here, including Tomato, Cherry Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Zucchini, and more.

How long is South Dakota's growing season?

South Dakota has about 155 frost-free days per year. South Dakota has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Eastern South Dakota is Zone 4b-5a; western South Dakota is colder. Short growing seasons.

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