In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Fargo planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 29 – May 3 | May 24 – Jul 18 plant out | Jul 23 – Sep 29 |
| Pepper | Mar 24 – Apr 28 | Jun 2 – Jul 15 plant out | Jul 31 – Sep 29 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 29 – May 3 | Jun 7 – Jul 11 plant out | Aug 7 – Sep 29 |
| Cucumber | Apr 30 – May 27 | May 28 – Jul 29 sow | Jul 14 – Sep 29 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 26 – May 23 | May 24 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 9 – Sep 29 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 26 – May 23 | May 24 – Jun 30 sow | Aug 13 – Sep 29 |
| Watermelon | May 10 – Jun 6 | Jun 7 – Jul 10 sow | Aug 11 – Sep 29 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 17 – Jul 14 sow | Jul 27 – Sep 29 |
| Green beans | – | May 24 – Jul 29 sow | Jul 12 – Sep 29 |
| Peas | – | Apr 18 – Apr 22 sow | Jun 24 – Jul 22 |
| Lettuce | Mar 10 – Apr 7 | Apr 14 – May 16, Jul 25 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 13 – Jul 23, Aug 31 – Oct 10 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 10 – May 10, Aug 25 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 8 – Jul 15, Oct 7 – Oct 30 |
| Kale | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | Apr 14 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 20 – Nov 14 |
| Cabbage | Mar 3 – Apr 7, May 4 – Jun 8 | Apr 21 – May 23, Jun 22 – Aug 7 plant out | Jul 2 – Oct 21 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – Apr 7, May 10 – Jun 14 | Apr 21 – May 29, Jun 28 – Aug 13 plant out | Jun 25 – Aug 13, Aug 15 – Oct 14 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 21 – Aug 11 sow | Jun 29 – Nov 14 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 21 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 21 – Oct 21 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 14 – Jun 2, Aug 8 – Sep 9 sow | May 26 – Jul 6, Aug 29 – Oct 14 |
| Onions | Feb 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 18 – Jul 12 plant out | Jul 20 – Sep 30 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 24 – Oct 14 sow | Jun 9 – Jun 29 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 26 – Jul 16 sow | Jul 19 – Sep 30 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 26 – Aug 21 sow | Jun 19 – Oct 21 |
| Basil | Apr 21 – May 19 | Jun 2 – Aug 16 plant out | Jun 29 – Sep 29 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 21 – May 24, Aug 8 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 7 – Jul 21, Sep 7 – Oct 14 |
| Parsley | Feb 28 – Apr 4 | Apr 25 – Aug 7 sow | Jul 4 – Oct 30 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Fargo
- Average last spring frost
- May 10
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 23
- Average first autumn frost
- September 30
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- September 18
- Frost-free growing season
- 142 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Fargo Hector Intl Ap (6 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 4b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -32°C-25°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 29°C85°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -18°C0°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -8°C18°F | -18°C0°F | -13°C9°F | 16 mm0.6 in |
| February | -5°C24°F | -15°C4°F | -10°C14°F | 14 mm0.6 in |
| March | 3°C37°F | -7°C19°F | -2°C28°F | 26 mm1.0 in |
| April | 12°C54°F | 0°C32°F | 6°C43°F | 37 mm1.4 in |
| May | 21°C69°F | 7°C45°F | 14°C57°F | 72 mm2.9 in |
| June | 26°C79°F | 14°C56°F | 20°C68°F | 108 mm4.2 in |
| July | 29°C85°F | 16°C62°F | 23°C73°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| August | 28°C82°F | 14°C58°F | 21°C70°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| September | 22°C72°F | 10°C49°F | 16°C61°F | 63 mm2.5 in |
| October | 14°C56°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 54 mm2.1 in |
| November | 4°C38°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C30°F | 22 mm0.9 in |
| December | -5°C23°F | -14°C8°F | -9°C15°F | 17 mm0.7 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).