When to plant lavender in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

May 1 – May 15

Transplant outdoors · typical Sioux Falls year

Climate basis: NOAA station Sioux Falls, SD (USW00014944), 2 mi (3 km) from downtown Sioux Falls (ZCTA 57104 centroid), elevation 1430 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 1). One year in ten still freezes after May 14.

Last spring freezeMay 11-in-10 after May 14
First fall freezeOctober 61-in-10 before Sep 23
Frost-free season157 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 22Oct 17kills even hardy greens
USDA zone5a-20 to -15°F winter low not frost timing

The Sioux Falls year

Transplant outdoorsMay 1 – May 15
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 14
Lavender in Sioux Falls · freeze context from Sioux Falls, SD, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

May 1 – May 15

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 1). 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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