Example Article for Broadwater County Extension Agent
Can I Grow That Here?
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
Can I Grow that Here?
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
With warmer weather, some of us are starting to feel the urge to get into the garden. While we are still a long way from putting anything into the ground, this is the perfect time to start planning. There are a few factors that influence our ability to grow fruits and vegetables in Montana. Some are easy, while others take more planning and preparation to grow successfully.
Soil Temperature
Soil temperature is key to ensure seeds will germinate and grow. Due to many factors, it is difficult to predict soil temperature based on air temperature, so a soil thermometer is best and can be purchased for less than $20. Cool season crops such as kale, lettuce, peas, onions and turnips can germinate when soil temperatures are about 50 to 60 degrees. Warm season crops such as beans, beets, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower need at least 60 degrees. There are a few vegetables that you need to wait for 70-degree soil temperatures, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and corn.
Frost Dates & Dates to Maturity
The average last frost date in the spring for Townsend is May 25, and the average first frost date is September 14. This means we have about 111 growing days in this area. This is called the average frost-free days. By comparison, Three Forks has approximately 130 frost-free days and Helena has 132.
Listed on every seed packet is the approximate days to maturity. This is the average number of days it will take the plant to reach harvestable stage starting from planting or transplanting to harvest. This number of days is based on ideal conditions. Montana does not always have ideal conditions for some fruits and vegetables so this date can be deceiving. For example, a melon seed packet may say 80 days to maturity which makes it seem like it's doable given our number of frost-free days. However, melons are a challenge because they require a lot of heat units, and we are often limited to the actual number of days that provide enough heat to allow melons to be successful. It still can be done but may require some additional techniques to stimulate growth or extend the growing season.
However, days to maturity are still helpful. It also gives you clues if you need to start it indoors. For example, some eggplants take 100 to 120 days to mature and require a soil temperature of 65 to 85 degrees for germination. Therefore, we know we will need to start the seeds indoors or buy transplants. Some vegetables such as lettuce only take 40 to 60 days to maturity and require soil to be at least 45 degrees. In this case, we may be able to plant more than one crop throughout the summer and don’t need to start it indoors.
Transplants
Once you decide what you would like to grow and know your frost dates and soil temperature, you can determine if you need or want transplants. Some plants like tomatoes require transplants in Montana, because they will not fully mature prior to frost by direct seeding. You may also choose to transplant because you would like to have the produce earlier in the season compared to direct seeding.
However, some vegetables do not respond well to transplanting. For example, legumes like peas and beans are often subject to transplant shock. Root crops like carrots, beets or turnips also don’t transplant well. If they lose their tap root, it will become a fibrous root system and will not produce.
If you choose to start your own transplants, the time needed before transplanting ranges from 4 weeks for sweet corn, cucumbers and cauliflower to 6 to 8 weeks for cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli to 10 weeks for celery, eggplant and tomatoes. If you know your approximate last frost date, then you can back up from there to know when to start the plants. That means that tomatoes should be started by early to mid-March, while cucumbers can be started in late April. If you start them too soon, they often become leggy and develop weak root systems. There are a variety of containers and methods to do this at home. If you purchase transplants, make sure they are free of insects and disease.
For gardening questions and seed and transplant schedules for Montana, you can contact the MSU Extension Office in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or allison.kosto@montana.edu. Also, don’t forget to check on the Seed Library at the Extension Office!
