What to plant this week in Fargo, ND
Fargo gardeners are officially in the late spring crunch as the threat of hard freezes fades after our typical May 12 frost date. With temperatures finally holding steady, now is the week to rush those cool-season crops like cabbage and Swiss chard into your beds before the summer heat hits.
The next 7 days
Fargo, NDGrowing in Fargo right now
- Watch for rapid wind shifts across the Red River Valley; use row covers tonight on tender transplants like basil and shishito peppers if a cold front moves in from Canada.
- Our clay-heavy soils here drain slowly, so avoid working wet ground when planting carrots or onions to prevent crusting that hinders seedling emergence.
- Take advantage of this week's window to start harvesting early cool crops; beets and kale are ready to pull for your salads while the soil is still warming up.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
46 crops- Bachelor's Button (Cornflower)
- Basil
- Beet
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cherry Tomato
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Collard Greens
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dill
- Fava (Broad) Bean
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garlic
- German Chamomile
- Ground Cherry
- Kale
- Napa Cabbage
- Nasturtium
- Onion
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Pansy
- Parsley
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Rutabaga
- Scallion (Bunching Onion)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shallot
- Shishito Pepper
- Snapdragon
- Summer Savory
- Sweet Corn
- Swiss Chard
- Thai Basil
- Tomato
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Continue succession sowing quick-growing crops like bush beans and lettuce to extend your summer harvest through September 25.
- Deadhead spent flowers on Cosmos and Zinnia to encourage more blooms before the first frost.
- Apply a light layer of mulch around established perennials like Pansies and Ornamental Sweet Potato Vines to retain soil moisture as nights get cooler.
Pest & disease watch
- Cabbage loopers are likely appearing now on our brassicas like cabbage and rutabaga; hand-pick them in the evening before they lay eggs.
- Watch for slugs and snails feasting on young lettuce and carrot seedlings, especially if we had a wet weekend followed by warm nights.
- Spider mites can become active quickly once temperatures climb above 60°F on our exposed south-facing slopes.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to help plants withstand afternoon heat while reducing evaporation losses.
Harvest your Cherry Tomatoes and Bell Peppers daily to keep the plant producing and prevent over-ripening before the first frost date.
Fargo gardening questions
3Can I still plant tomatoes or peppers directly in the ground this week?
While it is tempting, wait another week or two to ensure soil temperatures are consistently above 60°F and no late frosts threaten your cherries tomatoes or shishito peppers.
When should I harvest my garlic if I planted it last fall?
Your garlic bulbs should be ready for harvest soon; look for the lower leaves turning brown while keeping at least three green leaves to protect the bulb skin.
Are there any cool-season greens that can handle our Fargo heat right now?
Swiss chard and collard greens are tough enough to survive our summer warmth, though you may need shade cloth if temps spike above 85°F this week.
Other cities in zone 4a
2See the full zone 4a guide → · Plan your Fargo garden in SproutGuide →