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When to plant in Williston, ND

USDA Zone 4a

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

Zone 4a is cold — in Williston, most perennials must be fully hardy, and your frost dates set a tight window for tender annual vegetables.

Station · WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP · 2.0 km
Last spring frost
May 21
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
September 21
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
123 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for WillistonA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Williston: last spring frost around May 21, first fall frost around September 21, about 123 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP · 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 Williston’s own odds, recorded at WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP.

Frost-probability curves for WillistonProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 21 and the first fall frost around September 21, giving about 123 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°FJun 16May 29May 18Sep 1Sep 12Sep 23
32°FJun 3May 21May 8Sep 9Sep 21Oct 2
28°FMay 25May 11Apr 29Sep 16Sep 28Oct 11

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
Napa Cabbage
June 29July 27
Fall sowopen now
Beet
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Collards
July 13August 10
Fall sowopen now
Endive
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Escarole
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Fennel (Bulb)
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Kale
July 13August 10
Fall sowopen now
Kohlrabi
July 13August 10
Fall sowopen now
Peas
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Radicchio
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Swiss Chard
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Turnip
July 13August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Arugula
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Bok Choy
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Chervil
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Cilantro
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Lettuce
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Mizuna
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Mustard Greens
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Radish
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Spinach
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Tatsoi
July 27August 24

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 Williston, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

2 within 9 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.

WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP
Primary
2 km · 580 m elevation
SPRING
May 21
FALL
Sep 21
WILLISTON EXP FARM
9 km · 642 m elevation
SPRING
May 13
FALL
Sep 26

Williston planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Williston, ND?

On average, the last spring frost in Williston is around May 21 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Williston, ND?

In Williston, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around September 21 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Williston in?

Williston 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 Williston?

There are roughly 123 frost-free days in Williston (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around May 21 to the first fall frost near September 21.

When should I plant tomatoes in Williston?

In Williston, start tomato seeds indoors around March 26–April 9, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 28 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Williston

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP, 2 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 Williston, ND — Frost Dates & Zone 4a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00094014. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/north-dakota/williston.