One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us determine your gardening schedule is the USDA zone info. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

In Bemidji you can determine when you can plant balsam by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Balsam

Frost tolerance for balsam:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

You can not plant balsam until after the last frost because they require warm weather.

The earliest that you can plant balsam in Bemidji is May. However, you really should wait until June if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant balsam and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your balsam may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your balsam indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is May 15 in Bemidji. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of -35°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Bemidji is not always accurate the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Since half of the time in Bemidji last frost occurs after May 15 be ready to protect your balsam in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Bemidji

Here is the info for USDA Zone 3b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	May 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	September 15
Lowest Expected Low	-35°F
Highest Expected Low	-30°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -35°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -30°F.

Plants to Grow in Bemidji

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Bemidji.