What to plant this week in Bemidji, MN
Bemidji gardeners are in the final sprint to protect your late summer and fall crops before the hard freeze arrives. With average first frost hitting around September 20, this week is critical for harvesting beefsteak tomatoes, zucchini, and winter squash while they are still prime. You must prioritize wrapping your garlic plants in frost cloth immediately after the harvest window closes to ensure a good bulb set for next year.
The next 7 days
Bemidji, MNGrowing in Bemidji right now
- Harvest all summer squashes (yellow and zucchini) and pole beans before temperatures drop below 50°F, as cold weather ruins their texture and flavor.
- Mulch heavily around late-sown carrots and parsnips with straw or leaves to insulate roots against rapid temperature swings common in Northern Minnesota soil.
- Prepare your garlic beds now; while you can sow cloves this week, wait for the ground to firm up slightly after a rain before digging holes to avoid compaction on our clay-heavy soils.
- Check drainage immediately around container-grown dahlias and ornamental sweet potato vines, as Bemidji's fall rains often cause root rot in heavy local soil.
Sow this week
1 crops- Garlic
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
29 crops- Beefsteak Tomato
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Carrot
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- French Marigold
- Garden Geranium (Zonal)
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Lantana
- Leek
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Petunia
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Rutabaga
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Clear away spent vegetable plants now to prevent disease carryover into winter.
- Divide perennials like borage, garden verbena, and zinnia while the soil is still warm.
- Gather all fallen leaves and debris from around your garlic patch to keep it clean.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for late-season aphids clustering on the undersides of Brussels sprouts and borage leaves, which can stunt growth right before harvest.
- Monitor your zinnias and cosmos for spider mites, whose populations explode during our warm, dry spells before the final cool-down.
- Inspect harvested winter squash for squash vine borers or fungal rot entering through stem injuries caused by strong winds.
Watering this week
Reduce watering significantly now that harvest is underway, allowing the soil to dry out between the last few waterings before frost.
Mark your tomato and pepper locations with stakes so you can easily find them when spring planting begins next year.
Bemidji gardening questions
3Can I still plant garlic in Bemidji this week?
Yes, you can sow garlic now, but it is crucial to wait until the ground has firmed up after any recent rain to prevent soil compaction. Ensure your cloves are planted deep enough (2-3 inches) to survive our potential late frost spikes before May 15.
When exactly should I bring my outdoor dahlias and petunias inside?
You need to protect these plants by mid-to-late September, as the average first frost here occurs around September 20. If a heavy freeze threatens earlier, cover them with row covers tonight rather than waiting for the predicted date.
How do I save seeds from my bush beans and scarlet runner beans?
Allow your selected pods to dry completely on the vine until they turn brown and rattle when shaken, which usually happens within a week or two of this forecast. Once dried, rub the pods to release the shiny black seeds and store them in paper envelopes for next spring's planting.
Other cities in zone 3b
4See the full zone 3b guide → · Plan your Bemidji garden in SproutGuide →