When to plant in Bonners Ferry, ID
Planting dates worked out from Bonners Ferry's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 19
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 4
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 3
1 year in 10 by Sep 21
Frost-free days
154
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bonners Ferry · 0.5 km away · station 610 m, town 578 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 13 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 18 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 16 |
| Peas | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 26 |
| Bush beans | — | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 1 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 14 – May 26 | Jun 13 |
| Beet | — | Apr 14 – May 26 | Jun 3 |
| Potato | — | Apr 14 – May 5 | Jun 23 |
| Kale | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jun 5 |
| Cucumber | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 8 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 3 |
| Winter squash | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Aug 7 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 11 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jul 5 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 19 – Oct 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 9 |
| Basil | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jul 15 |
Bonners Ferry's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1908 | May 20 |
| 1909 | May 14 |
| 1910 | Jun 4 |
| 1911 | May 26 |
| 1912 | Jun 3 |
| 1913 | May 16 |
| 1914 | May 29 |
| 1915 | May 30 |
| 1937 | May 6 |
| 1938 | May 6 |
| 1939 | Apr 18 |
| 1940 | Apr 30 |
| 1941 | May 19 |
| 1943 | May 13 |
| 1944 | May 26 |
| 1946 | May 10 |
| 1947 | Apr 25 |
| 1948 | May 5 |
| 1949 | May 5 |
| 1950 | May 31 |
| 1951 | May 31 |
| 1952 | May 7 |
| 1954 | May 14 |
| 1955 | May 23 |
| 1956 | May 13 |
| 1958 | Apr 30 |
| 1959 | May 13 |
| 1960 | May 23 |
| 1961 | Apr 26 |
| 1962 | May 5 |
| 1963 | May 11 |
| 1964 | May 26 |
| 1965 | May 18 |
| 1966 | May 23 |
| 1967 | May 26 |
| 1968 | May 11 |
| 1969 | May 5 |
| 1970 | May 12 |
| 1971 | Apr 30 |
| 1972 | May 3 |
| 1973 | May 21 |
| 1974 | May 10 |
| 1975 | May 25 |
| 1976 | May 19 |
| 1977 | May 30 |
| 1978 | May 23 |
| 1979 | May 17 |
| 1980 | Jun 4 |
| 1981 | May 5 |
| 1982 | May 11 |
| 1983 | May 14 |
| 1984 | May 22 |
| 1985 | May 13 |
| 1986 | May 23 |
| 1987 | May 22 |
| 1988 | May 2 |
| 1989 | May 20 |
| 1991 | May 4 |
| 1992 | May 12 |
| 1993 | Jun 3 |
| 1994 | May 2 |
| 1995 | May 4 |
| 1996 | May 9 |
| 1997 | Apr 22 |
| 1998 | May 16 |
| 1999 | Jun 10 |
| 2000 | May 13 |
| 2001 | May 20 |
| 2004 | Apr 30 |
| 2005 | May 2 |
| 2008 | May 8 |
| 2011 | May 1 |
| 2012 | May 12 |
| 2013 | May 1 |
| 2014 | Apr 19 |
| 2015 | Apr 23 |
| 2016 | Mar 31 |
| 2017 | Apr 17 |
| 2018 | Apr 22 |
| 2019 | Apr 30 |
| 2020 | May 4 |
| 2021 | May 19 |
| 2022 | Apr 30 |
| 2023 | Apr 24 |
| 2024 | May 1 |
| 2025 | Apr 24 |
| 2026 | Apr 25 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1908 | 126 |
| 1909 | 105 |
| 1910 | 80 |
| 1911 | 103 |
| 1913 | 107 |
| 1914 | 105 |
| 1915 | 106 |
| 1937 | 164 |
| 1938 | 160 |
| 1939 | 163 |
| 1940 | 158 |
| 1941 | 131 |
| 1943 | 117 |
| 1944 | 114 |
| 1947 | 141 |
| 1948 | 141 |
| 1949 | 129 |
| 1950 | 119 |
| 1951 | 117 |
| 1954 | 137 |
| 1956 | 114 |
| 1958 | 149 |
| 1959 | 118 |
| 1960 | 109 |
| 1961 | 138 |
| 1962 | 120 |
| 1963 | 149 |
| 1964 | 107 |
| 1965 | 110 |
| 1966 | 132 |
| 1967 | 119 |
| 1968 | 143 |
| 1969 | 132 |
| 1970 | 122 |
| 1971 | 136 |
| 1972 | 130 |
| 1973 | 116 |
| 1974 | 125 |
| 1975 | 143 |
| 1976 | 111 |
| 1977 | 125 |
| 1978 | 116 |
| 1979 | 134 |
| 1980 | 85 |
| 1981 | 140 |
| 1982 | 125 |
| 1983 | 127 |
| 1984 | 114 |
| 1985 | 131 |
| 1986 | 111 |
| 1987 | 117 |
| 1988 | 167 |
| 1991 | 120 |
| 1992 | 117 |
| 1994 | 154 |
| 1995 | 139 |
| 1996 | 136 |
| 1997 | 168 |
| 1998 | 155 |
| 1999 | 107 |
| 2000 | 131 |
| 2001 | 136 |
| 2004 | 176 |
| 2005 | 144 |
| 2011 | 167 |
| 2012 | 144 |
| 2013 | 155 |
| 2014 | 166 |
| 2015 | 182 |
| 2016 | 193 |
| 2017 | 169 |
| 2018 | 165 |
| 2019 | 153 |
| 2020 | 164 |
| 2021 | 141 |
| 2022 | 189 |
| 2023 | 183 |
| 2025 | 173 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1908 | 14.1 °C |
| 1909 | 13.7 °C |
| 1910 | 14.1 °C |
| 1911 | 12.8 °C |
| 1913 | 12.9 °C |
| 1914 | 13.6 °C |
| 1915 | 14.4 °C |
| 1937 | 14.8 °C |
| 1938 | 16.0 °C |
| 1939 | 14.9 °C |
| 1940 | 16.6 °C |
| 1941 | 15.9 °C |
| 1942 | 15.3 °C |
| 1943 | 14.6 °C |
| 1944 | 15.5 °C |
| 1945 | 13.8 °C |
| 1947 | 15.1 °C |
| 1948 | 14.8 °C |
| 1949 | 15.5 °C |
| 1950 | 14.7 °C |
| 1951 | 14.7 °C |
| 1952 | 15.6 °C |
| 1954 | 13.6 °C |
| 1956 | 15.2 °C |
| 1958 | 16.2 °C |
| 1959 | 13.9 °C |
| 1960 | 14.6 °C |
| 1961 | 15.3 °C |
| 1962 | 14.3 °C |
| 1963 | 15.0 °C |
| 1964 | 13.5 °C |
| 1965 | 14.3 °C |
| 1966 | 14.5 °C |
| 1967 | 15.5 °C |
| 1968 | 14.1 °C |
| 1969 | 14.9 °C |
| 1970 | 14.6 °C |
| 1971 | 14.5 °C |
| 1972 | 14.1 °C |
| 1973 | 15.2 °C |
| 1974 | 15.0 °C |
| 1975 | 13.9 °C |
| 1976 | 14.7 °C |
| 1977 | 15.2 °C |
| 1978 | 14.6 °C |
| 1979 | 15.8 °C |
| 1980 | 14.6 °C |
| 1981 | 14.9 °C |
| 1982 | 14.5 °C |
| 1983 | 14.7 °C |
| 1984 | 14.6 °C |
| 1985 | 15.3 °C |
| 1986 | 15.1 °C |
| 1987 | 16.2 °C |
| 1988 | 15.9 °C |
| 1989 | 15.5 °C |
| 1990 | 15.3 °C |
| 1991 | 14.2 °C |
| 1992 | 16.0 °C |
| 1993 | 14.7 °C |
| 1994 | 16.2 °C |
| 1995 | 15.1 °C |
| 1996 | 14.8 °C |
| 1997 | 15.4 °C |
| 1998 | 16.6 °C |
| 1999 | 14.3 °C |
| 2000 | 14.7 °C |
| 2001 | 15.6 °C |
| 2002 | 14.7 °C |
| 2005 | 15.4 °C |
| 2011 | 14.8 °C |
| 2012 | 15.5 °C |
| 2013 | 16.2 °C |
| 2014 | 16.0 °C |
| 2015 | 17.0 °C |
| 2016 | 16.5 °C |
| 2017 | 16.7 °C |
| 2018 | 15.9 °C |
| 2019 | 15.8 °C |
| 2020 | 15.5 °C |
| 2021 | 16.8 °C |
| 2022 | 15.6 °C |
| 2023 | 17.2 °C |
| 2025 | 17.9 °C |
| 2026 | 17.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1908, Bonners Ferry's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Bonners Ferry (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.