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When to plant in West Fargo, ND

USDA Zone 4a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for West Fargo, North Dakota — all computed from West Fargo's nearest NOAA weather station.

In zone 4a, West Fargo winters are severe; choose cold-hardy perennials and time annuals carefully around the frost dates above.

Station · FARGO 3S · 8.8 km
Last spring frost
May 4
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 2
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
151 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for West FargoA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for West Fargo: last spring frost around May 4, first fall frost around October 2, about 151 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

FARGO 3S · 1991–2020

The 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 West Fargo’s own odds, recorded at FARGO 3S.

Frost-probability curves for West FargoProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 4 and the first fall frost around October 2, giving about 151 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 26May 13May 2Sep 12Sep 24Oct 5
32°FMay 18May 4Apr 21Sep 22Oct 2Oct 15
28°FMay 9Apr 25Apr 10Sep 29Oct 12Oct 26

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 10August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Beet
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Collards
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Endive
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Escarole
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Kale
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Kohlrabi
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Peas
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Radicchio
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Swiss Chard
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Turnip
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Arugula
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Bok Choy
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Chervil
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Cilantro
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Lettuce
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Mizuna
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Mustard Greens
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Radish
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Spinach
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Tatsoi
August 7September 4

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in West Fargo, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 12 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

FARGO 3S
Primary
9 km · 277 m elevation
SPRING
May 4
FALL
Oct 2
FARGO HECTOR INTL AP
10 km · 274 m elevation
SPRING
May 10
FALL
Sep 30
MOORHEAD
12 km · 276 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 3

West Fargo planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in West Fargo, ND?

Plan for the last spring frost in West Fargo around May 4 (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 West Fargo, ND?

Expect West Fargo's first fall frost near October 2 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is West Fargo in?

West Fargo is in USDA hardiness zone 4a. In zone 4a, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in West Fargo?

West Fargo has about 151 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (October 2).

When should I plant tomatoes in West Fargo?

For West Fargo, sow tomatoes indoors about March 9–March 23 and move the seedlings out around May 11, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in West Fargo

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to West Fargo’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at FARGO 3S, 9 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in West Fargo, ND — Frost Dates & Zone 4a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00322860. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/north-dakota/west-fargo.