Last Frost Date

Planting planner: Lakewood, Colorado

Typical last spring frost May 3 (1 spring in 10 later than May 18). Typical first fall frost October 7 (1 fall in 10 earlier than September 24). Growing season about 155 days.

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Frost likely Frost possible Frost unlikely Frost is likely until April 19 and fades out by May 18. It is unlikely from then until September 24, and likely again after October 21. The dashed lines are the typical dates, May 3 and October 7.

Your season is too short for a separate fall planting of cabbage: sown late enough to be a fall crop, it wouldn't be ready before the typical first frost. Your spring planting is your harvest.

January

Nothing to start this month.

February

  • February 15 to March 15: Broccoli and cabbage (start seeds indoors)

March

  • March 1 to 29: Cauliflower (start seeds indoors)
  • March 15 to April 5: Eggplant (start seeds indoors)
  • March 22 to April 5: Peppers (start seeds indoors)
  • March 29 to April 12: Tomatoes (start seeds indoors)

April

  • April 5 to 19: Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips (sow outdoors)
  • April 5 to 19: Broccoli and cabbage (plant out)
  • April 19 to May 3: Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard (plant outdoors)
  • April 19 to May 3: Cauliflower (plant out)

May

  • May 3: Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash (sow outdoors)
  • May 17: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (plant out)
  • May 17: Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans (sow outdoors)

June

  • June 1 to 15: Broccoli for fall (start seeds)

July

  • July 11: Snap beans for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 15: Carrots for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 16: Cucumbers for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 20: Peas for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 21: Summer squash for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 25: Leaf lettuce and beets for fall (last date to sow)

August

  • August 4: Turnips and kohlrabi for fall (last date to sow)
  • August 14: Spinach for fall (last date to sow)
  • August 24: Radishes for fall (last date to sow)

September

  • September 24: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers (watch the forecast)

October

  • October 23 to 30: Garlic (plant cloves)

November

Nothing to start this month.

December

Nothing to start this month.

Dates from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Lakewood (station USC00054762), 3 miles from the center of Lakewood. Planting rules: Colorado State University Extension GardenNotes #720 (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-334 (fall crops), University of Minnesota Extension (garlic). Spring bulbs: plant when the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F, until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension). Full details: https://lastfrostdate.com/frost-dates/colorado/lakewood/

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