When to plant lavender in Billings, Montana

May 10 – May 24

Transplant outdoors · typical Billings year

Climate basis: NOAA station Billings Wtp, MT (USC00240802), 13 mi (21 km) from downtown Billings (ZCTA 59101 centroid), elevation 3097 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (May 10). One year in ten still freezes after May 24.

Last spring freezeMay 101-in-10 after May 24
First fall freezeOctober 11-in-10 before Sep 19
Frost-free season142 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 27Oct 12kills even hardy greens
USDA zone5a-20 to -15°F winter low not frost timing

The Billings year

Transplant outdoorsMay 10 – May 24
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 24
Lavender in Billings · freeze context from Billings Wtp, MT, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

May 10 – May 24

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (May 10). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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