What Can Grow in Montana?
Montana has a semi-arid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Most of the state is Zone 4-5; protected valleys are Zone 5-6. Short but intense growing seasons.
📅 Planting Calendar for Montana
When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.
| Plant | Start Indoors | Transplant Out | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 4 – Jun 29 |
| 🥬 Arugula | — | — | Apr 15 | May 6 – May 25 |
| ❤️ Beets | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 4 – Jun 24 |
| 🫑 Bell Pepper | Feb 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 24 – Jul 14 |
| 🥬 Bok Choy | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | May 30 – Jun 14 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 14 – Jul 4 |
| 🫛 Brussels Sprouts | Feb 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jul 14 – Oct 12 |
| 🥬 Cabbage | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 24 – Aug 13 |
| 🥕 Carrot | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 24 – Jul 4 |
| 🥔 Celeriac | Feb 4 | Apr 15 | — | Aug 3 – Aug 13 |
| 🍒 Cherry Tomato | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 9 – Jun 24 |
| 🌶️ Chili Pepper | Feb 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 19 – Jul 4 |
| 🥬 Collard Greens | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 14 – Jul 4 |
| 🌽 Corn | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 14 – Jul 14 |
| 🥒 Cucumber | Mar 25 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 4 – Jun 24 |
| 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 24 – Jul 19 |
| 🍆 Eggplant | Feb 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 19 – Jul 4 |
| 🫘 Fava Beans | — | — | Apr 15 | Jul 4 – Jul 24 |
| 🌿 Florence Fennel | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 19 – Jul 14 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Jun – Jul (following year) |
| 🫘 Green Beans | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 4 – Jun 19 |
| 🍬 Ground Cherry | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 24 – Jul 9 |
| 🥬 Kale | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 9 – Jun 29 |
| 🥬 Kohlrabi | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | May 30 – Jun 14 |
| 🧅 Leek | Jan 21 | Apr 15 | — | Jul 24 – Sep 12 |
| 🥬 Lettuce | — | — | Apr 15 | May 15 – Jun 14 |
| 🌱 Microgreens | — | — | Apr 15 | Apr 22 – May 6 |
| 🥬 Mustard Greens | — | — | Apr 15 | May 15 – May 25 |
| 🧅 Onion | Feb 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jul 14 – Aug 13 |
| 🥕 Parsnip | — | — | Apr 15 | Jul 24 – Aug 23 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 9 – Jun 24 |
| 🥔 Potato | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 24 – Aug 13 |
| 🎃 Pumpkin | Mar 25 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 29 – Jul 24 |
| 🔴 Radish | — | — | Apr 15 | May 7 – May 15 |
| 🥔 Rutabaga | — | — | Apr 15 | Jul 14 – Jul 29 |
| 🫛 Snap Peas | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 14 – Jun 24 |
| 🥬 Spinach | — | — | Apr 15 | May 25 – Jun 4 |
| 🍠 Sweet Potato | — | — | Apr 15 | Jul 14 – Aug 13 |
| 🥬 Swiss Chard | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 4 – Jun 14 |
| 🫑 Tomatillo | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 29 – Jul 24 |
| 🍅 Tomato | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 14 – Jul 9 |
| 🫛 Turnip | — | — | Apr 15 | May 30 – Jun 14 |
| 🥬 Zucchini | Mar 25 | Apr 15 | — | May 30 – Jun 14 |
| 🌿 Basil | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | May 15 – Jun 14 |
| 💙 Borage | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 4 – Jun 14 |
| 🌿 Cilantro | — | — | Apr 15 | May 6 – May 30 |
| 🌿 Dill | — | — | Apr 15 | May 25 – Jun 14 |
| 🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) | — | — | Apr 15 | May 5 – May 15 |
| 🌿 French Tarragon | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 14 – Jul 14 |
| 🌼 German Chamomile | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 14 – Jul 14 |
| 🍃 Lemon Balm | Mar 4 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 14 – Jun 24 |
| 🌿 Parsley | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 24 – Jul 14 |
| 🍉 Watermelon | Mar 18 | Apr 15 | — | Jun 24 – Jul 14 |
| 🌻 Sunflower | — | — | Apr 15 | Jun 14 – Jul 4 |
Dates are averages based on Zone 5a frost dates (last frost: mid-April, first frost: mid-October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.
🥦 Vegetables
- 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Arugula EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Asparagus
- ❤️ Beets EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Bell Pepper Container OK
- 🥬 Bok Choy EasyContainer OK
- 🥦 Broccoli Container OK
- 🫛 Brussels Sprouts
- 🥬 Cabbage Container OK
- 🥕 Carrot Container OK
- 🥔 Celeriac
- 🍒 Cherry Tomato EasyContainer OK
- 🌶️ Chili Pepper EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Collard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🌽 Corn
- 🥒 Cucumber EasyContainer OK
- 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) EasyContainer OK
- 🍆 Eggplant Container OK
- 🫘 Fava Beans
- 🌿 Florence Fennel Container OK
- 🧄 Garlic EasyContainer OK
- 🫘 Green Beans EasyContainer OK
- 🍬 Ground Cherry EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kale EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kohlrabi EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Leek Container OK
- 🥬 Lettuce EasyContainer OK
- 🌱 Microgreens Easy
- 🥬 Mustard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Onion Container OK
- 🥕 Parsnip
- 🫛 Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Potato EasyContainer OK
- 🎃 Pumpkin EasyContainer OK
- 🔴 Radish EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Rhubarb EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Rutabaga Easy
- 🫛 Snap Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Spinach EasyContainer OK
- 🍠 Sweet Potato Container OK
- 🥬 Swiss Chard EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Tomatillo Container OK
- 🍅 Tomato Container OK
- 🫛 Turnip EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Zucchini EasyContainer OK
🍓 Fruits
🌿 Herbs
⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)
These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.
🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Zone 5 is shown in
this colour
on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service
USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →
Browse Related Zones
Frequently Asked Questions
Montana has a semi-arid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Most of the state is Zone 4-5; protected valleys are Zone 5-6. Short but intense growing seasons. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper all grow well here.
You have about 183 frost-free days. Start warm-season crops indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost (mid-April) and transplant after that date.
Top vegetables for Montana: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Montana. Zone 5a is suitable for most temperate fruits.
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