How to Start a Garden in Montana

March 9th, 2023 by

What Plants do the Best in Montana?

Our days are getting longer and the sunshine is getting stronger. This is a great time to start a garden. Starting a garden in Montana isn’t as hard as you think. In fact there are a variety of crops that prefer our cool nights. These include: spinach, kale, peas, beets, green beans, carrots, onions, potatoes, and radishes. If you have an area in your yard that gets full sunlight squash, zucchini, pumpkins and even tomatoes will grow very well and yield large amounts of crops.

If you prefer the sweeter side of nature there are several fruit trees that excel in our climate. In particular, cherries! The East shore of Flathead lake is full of cherry orchards. These delicious Flathead cherries are well known around the Flathead Valley and even popular outside of Montana. Some other fruit trees that grow well include: apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and plums.

Berries are another sweet snack that love our cooler climate. Plant a blueberry, raspberry, or blackberry bush and enjoy the fruits of your labor in the late summer.

Planting Seeds

Finding seeds is easy as there are numerous garden stores around Kalispell. Why stop at just one? With a 2023 Ford Escape you can have fun visiting them all with the impressive 26 MPG you’ll receive. The back cargo area of the Escape has plenty of room for all your supplies, 65.4 cubic feet of space to be exact. If you plan to have raised garden beds or pots and need more space, the 2023 Ford Explorer is also great. The Explorer offers 87.8 cubic feet of cargo room and provides 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway.

Since we do have a shorter growing season compared to other states, it is best to start your garden in Montana indoors. You can start your seeds indoors around mid March. To illustrate, plant your seeds in cups, pots, or even egg cartons and place them next to a well lite window. Make sure to keep the soil very moist in the beginning to allow the seeds to germinate. Once your plants are well established and our night temperatures are consistently above freezing, it is time to plant them outside. For a garden in Montana this is usually accomplished around mid May.

planting seeds

Setting up Your Garden in Montana

We have rich soil in Montana but to optimize plant health it is best to till your soil. Likewise mixing organic matter into your soil helps provide nutrients to your plants. When tilling your garden in Montana you only need to loosen the dirt up to 12 inches. Be sure to plant your crops with the correct spacing listed on the seed packages. They may be small now but trust us, they are going to get much bigger. Once you have your plants in the ground, you can add mulch for a variety of benefits. First, it helps with weed control. Having mulch in your garden blocks the weeds from getting sunlight. In addition it helps to keep your soil cool and moist allowing for less watering.

There are many things you can use as mulch. Such as grass clippings, straw and wood chips. For larger garden areas the 2023 Ford F-150 makes it easy to load and unload massive amounts of mulch.

unloading mulch out of a F-150

Enjoy

Now that your garden is ready and planted, the only thing left to do is keep it watered. Soon you will enjoy all of your delicious fruits and vegetables. Likewise you will feel accomplished and satisfied from your work while enjoying nutritious food. Having a garden in Montana is a great way to enjoy the sunshine. Further you will highlight your yard space with a variety of beautiful plants.

harvested vegetables

We have excellent vehicles to fit all Montana lifestyles and hobbies. Shop our full 2023 model lineup online or give us a call at (406) 755-3673 to schedule a consultation today.