Montana is a beautiful state with a lot to offer, but unfortunately for those who like to grow a garden, we have a relatively short growing season. This means you must prepare during the spring and maximize your growing season during the fall. Here are a few tips to help you grow a better garden this summer in Montana.

Grow your seedlings indoors to start. One of the key things to maximize your growing season is to start your seedlings indoors before the last freeze. Timing is everything when growing your seedlings. If you plant them too early and the last freeze runs into June, you are risking stunting the plants growth and causing death. If you plant the seedlings too late you limit the amount of growth you can get from each plant. My recommendation is to use a chart of when to plant each seed in relative to the last frost day. Use these times to count backwards from when your predicted last frost is and begin growing then.
Use heating pads. The use of heat pads will greatly impact your germination rates. If you find yourself getting a less than predicted germination rate for a specific plant, you might need to use heating pads underneath the seedlings to improve germination rates. We use heating pads and have seen our seedlings germinate faster and at a greater percentage.
Grow a variety of different plants and vegetables. Diversity is key to survival in the gardening world. Mistakes happen and you don’t want to have all your eggs in one basket when growing your garden. Try to limit the amount of seedlings per type of species. This way if disease, or other tragedies occur you are hedging your garden and protecting your other crops.

So there you have it, 3 tips for growing a better garden this summer in Montana. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section and happy gardening! For more tips follow our blog for more tips on how to grow in Montana!