When to plant in Belgrade, MT
USDA Zone 5aBelgrade, Montana frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
With only about 113 frost-free days, Belgrade has a short season — start heat-lovers indoors early, favor quick-maturing varieties, and use row cover to stretch both ends. In zone 5a, Belgrade gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.
The average last spring frost in Belgrade is now 5 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
BOZEMAN GALLATIN FLD · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Belgrade’s own odds, recorded at BOZEMAN GALLATIN FLD.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Jul 2 | Jun 16 | May 30 | Aug 20 | Sep 4 | Sep 17 |
| 32°F | Jun 12 | May 26 | May 11 | Sep 2 | Sep 16 | Sep 29 |
| 28°F | May 24 | May 9 | Apr 27 | Sep 15 | Sep 28 | Oct 10 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Belgrade, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 17 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Belgrade planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Belgrade, MT?
Plan for the last spring frost in Belgrade around May 26 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Belgrade, MT?
The first fall frost in Belgrade typically arrives around September 16 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Belgrade in?
Belgrade is in USDA hardiness zone 5a. In zone 5a, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.
How long is the growing season in Belgrade?
Belgrade has about 113 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 26) and first fall frost (September 16).
When should I plant tomatoes in Belgrade?
For Belgrade, sow tomatoes indoors about March 31–April 14 and move the seedlings out around June 2, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Belgrade
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Belgrade’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Bozeman · 15 km
- Helena · 111 km
- Butte-Silver Bow · 115 km
- Great Falls · 191 km
- Billings · 204 km
- Cody · 218 km
- Rexburg · 223 km
- Missoula · 250 km
Frost dates recorded at BOZEMAN GALLATIN FLD, 1 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Belgrade, MT — Frost Dates & Zone 5a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00024132. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/montana/belgrade.