When to plant in Anaconda, MT
Planting dates worked out from Anaconda's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jul 2
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Jun 15
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 10
1 year in 10 by Aug 20
Frost-free days
88
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Anaconda · 2.6 km away · station 1636 m, town 1601 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 Season likely too short |
May 7 – May 21 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Aug 26 |
| Sweet pepper Season likely too short |
Apr 23 – May 7 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Aug 31 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jun 27 |
| Peas | — | May 4 – Jun 1 | Jun 28 |
| Bush beans | — | Jun 25 – Jul 16 | Aug 14 |
| Carrot | — | May 25 – Jul 6 | Jul 24 |
| Beet | — | May 18 – Jun 29 | Jul 7 |
| Potato | — | May 25 – Jun 15 | Aug 3 |
| Kale | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jun 30 |
| Broccoli | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 18 – Jun 8 | Jul 17 |
| Cucumber Season likely too short |
Jun 4 – Jun 11 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Aug 21 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Jun 4 – Jun 11 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Aug 16 |
| Winter squash Season likely too short |
Jun 4 – Jun 11 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Sep 20 |
| Sweet corn Season likely too short |
— | Jun 25 – Jul 16 | Aug 24 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | May 18 – Jun 8 | Aug 16 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 27 – Sep 24 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | May 4 – Jun 1 | Jun 11 |
| Basil Season likely too short |
May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 | Aug 28 |
Anaconda'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 |
|---|---|
| 1901 | Jun 30 |
| 1902 | Jul 8 |
| 1904 | Jun 7 |
| 1905 | Jun 18 |
| 1907 | Jun 23 |
| 1908 | Jun 20 |
| 1909 | Jun 9 |
| 1910 | Jun 3 |
| 1911 | Jun 5 |
| 1912 | May 24 |
| 1913 | Jul 14 |
| 1914 | Jun 7 |
| 1915 | Jun 13 |
| 1916 | Jun 11 |
| 1917 | Jun 12 |
| 1918 | Jun 1 |
| 1919 | Jun 8 |
| 1922 | May 31 |
| 1923 | May 31 |
| 1924 | Jun 9 |
| 1926 | Jun 15 |
| 1983 | May 16 |
| 1984 | Jun 2 |
| 1985 | May 31 |
| 1986 | May 23 |
| 1987 | Jun 3 |
| 1988 | Jun 30 |
| 1989 | May 31 |
| 1990 | Jun 4 |
| 1991 | Jun 18 |
| 1992 | May 16 |
| 1993 | Jun 23 |
| 1994 | Jul 3 |
| 1995 | Jun 21 |
| 1996 | Jun 20 |
| 1997 | Jul 11 |
| 1998 | Jun 5 |
| 2000 | May 13 |
| 2001 | Jun 16 |
| 2002 | Jun 11 |
| 2003 | Jun 23 |
| 2004 | Jun 16 |
| 2005 | Jun 7 |
| 2006 | May 30 |
| 2007 | Jun 26 |
| 2008 | Jun 11 |
| 2009 | Jun 23 |
| 2010 | Jun 1 |
| 2011 | Jun 16 |
| 2016 | Jul 10 |
| 2017 | Jun 11 |
| 2018 | Jun 12 |
| 2022 | Jun 26 |
| 2023 | Jun 22 |
| 2024 | Jun 19 |
| 2025 | Jun 24 |
| 2026 | Jun 14 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 67 |
| 1902 | 51 |
| 1904 | 97 |
| 1907 | 82 |
| 1908 | 95 |
| 1909 | 79 |
| 1910 | 81 |
| 1911 | 92 |
| 1912 | 97 |
| 1913 | 57 |
| 1914 | 78 |
| 1915 | 89 |
| 1917 | 120 |
| 1918 | 128 |
| 1923 | 102 |
| 1924 | 101 |
| 1926 | 93 |
| 1983 | 116 |
| 1984 | 102 |
| 1985 | 110 |
| 1986 | 111 |
| 1987 | 105 |
| 1988 | 72 |
| 1989 | 97 |
| 1990 | 119 |
| 1991 | 91 |
| 1992 | 98 |
| 1993 | 49 |
| 1994 | 63 |
| 1995 | 38 |
| 1996 | 59 |
| 1997 | 55 |
| 1998 | 116 |
| 2000 | 112 |
| 2001 | 110 |
| 2002 | 101 |
| 2003 | 82 |
| 2004 | 78 |
| 2005 | 95 |
| 2006 | 93 |
| 2007 | 74 |
| 2008 | 81 |
| 2009 | 89 |
| 2010 | 132 |
| 2011 | 78 |
| 2016 | 87 |
| 2017 | 94 |
| 2022 | 73 |
| 2023 | 89 |
| 2024 | 93 |
| 2025 | 90 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 12.1 °C |
| 1902 | 11.6 °C |
| 1904 | 13.1 °C |
| 1907 | 10.9 °C |
| 1908 | 12.3 °C |
| 1909 | 11.5 °C |
| 1910 | 13.0 °C |
| 1911 | 10.9 °C |
| 1912 | 11.0 °C |
| 1913 | 12.1 °C |
| 1914 | 12.3 °C |
| 1915 | 11.8 °C |
| 1917 | 12.5 °C |
| 1919 | 13.8 °C |
| 1921 | 12.1 °C |
| 1922 | 12.4 °C |
| 1923 | 13.8 °C |
| 1924 | 13.8 °C |
| 1926 | 13.0 °C |
| 1983 | 12.3 °C |
| 1984 | 12.0 °C |
| 1985 | 13.1 °C |
| 1986 | 12.5 °C |
| 1987 | 14.0 °C |
| 1988 | 14.6 °C |
| 1989 | 13.0 °C |
| 1990 | 13.6 °C |
| 1991 | 13.1 °C |
| 1992 | 13.8 °C |
| 1993 | 11.4 °C |
| 1994 | 14.2 °C |
| 1995 | 11.9 °C |
| 1996 | 12.4 °C |
| 1997 | 12.6 °C |
| 1998 | 13.8 °C |
| 2000 | 13.9 °C |
| 2001 | 14.2 °C |
| 2002 | 12.6 °C |
| 2003 | 14.2 °C |
| 2004 | 12.9 °C |
| 2005 | 12.5 °C |
| 2006 | 14.1 °C |
| 2007 | 13.9 °C |
| 2008 | 12.2 °C |
| 2009 | 13.2 °C |
| 2010 | 11.9 °C |
| 2011 | 12.5 °C |
| 2017 | 13.6 °C |
| 2018 | 12.7 °C |
| 2022 | 12.5 °C |
| 2023 | 12.8 °C |
| 2024 | 12.8 °C |
| 2025 | 12.7 °C |
| 2026 | 12.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1901, Anaconda's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Anaconda (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.