What to plant this week in Billings, MT
Billings gardeners are officially past the frost line with May 8 as your average last freeze, making this prime time to pop out those late-spring transplants like basil and beans. With hardy temperatures dropping to -20°F in winter but currently warming up, focus your energy on harvesting early crops like bush beans while getting edamame and summer squash ready for the season ahead.
The next 7 days
Billings, MTGrowing in Billings right now
- Billings' semi-arid climate demands consistent soil moisture; water deeply at the base of plants to prevent rapid evaporation during our dry springs. The local clay-loam soil can be heavy, so amend beds with compost before transplanting zucchini or pumpkins to improve drainage and root expansion.
- Take advantage of the flat terrain surrounding the city for your largest vegetable plots, but ensure you install windbreaks for delicate crops like celery and fennel which struggle in our strong prairie gusts.
- Since frost dates average May 8 to Oct 8, use this narrow window aggressively; cover sensitive starts with row fabric if a late spring chill threatens your young potato or pepper plants.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
44 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Habanero Pepper
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Nasturtium
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Focus on soil preparation now by adding compost and organic matter to improve drainage before spring thaw.
- Clean up garden debris and remove winter weeds that may have survived under snow cover.
- Plan your succession planting schedule based on the May 8th last frost date for warm-weather crops.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch closely for aphids on new growth of sunflowers and zinnia as the air warms up in late April.
- Root maggots can be a nuisance in Billings' clay soil targeting early transplanted carrots and parsnips; consider floating row covers immediately after planting.
- Spider mites may begin appearing on leafy greens like lettuce and chard if there is a stretch of hot, dry weather.
Watering this week
Skip outdoor watering entirely until the ground thaws, but ensure storage areas stay dry.
Use this quiet time to order seeds for your summer crops like Watermelon, Zucchini, and Sunflower so they arrive by late winter.
Billings gardening questions
3Can I start my garlic now or should I wait until fall?
You can plant hardneck garlic varieties anytime through early May in Billings, but planting by mid-May ensures they establish roots before the summer heat shuts down growth. Since your first frost won't hit until October 8, planted garlic will likely not bolt and will produce a good bulb for next year's harvest.
When is the best time to harvest my bush beans and pole beans?
You can begin snapping bush beans as soon as they reach the size of a small pea, usually about 25 days after planting in Billings' soil. For your pole beans like Scarlet Runner varieties, start picking when pods are tender to encourage continued production through mid-summer.
How do I protect my edamame and summer squash from the occasional late hail?
Because Edamame and Summer Squash are listed for immediate harvest soon, monitor weather forecasts closely; temporary row covers or hoop houses can shield them during severe storm warnings. If a large hail event occurs, inspect plants immediately for bruised pods which may rot quickly in our humid evenings.
Other cities in zone 5a
6See the full zone 5a guide → · Plan your Billings garden in SproutGuide →