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When to plant in Lochbuie, CO

Planting dates worked out from Lochbuie's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.

Last spring frost

  1. Early · riskyApr 269 years in 10 still get a later frost
  2. TypicalMay 6about half of years get a later frost
  3. Safe to plant outMay 181 year in 10 gets a later frost

Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.

First fall frost

  1. EarlySep 231 year in 10 has frost by then
  2. TypicalOct 6about half of years have had frost
  3. LateOct 229 years in 10 have had frost by then

A typical year has 154 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.

Station used: Brighton 3 Se · 12.4 km away · station 1532 m, town 1530 m. How we match towns to stations

This season

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Planting dates for common crops

CropStart indoorsPlant out or sowHarvest from
Tomato Mar 23 – Apr 6 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 12
Sweet pepper Mar 9 – Mar 23 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 17
Lettuce (leaf) Mar 4 – Mar 11 Apr 8 – Apr 22 May 18
Peas — Mar 25 – Apr 22 May 19
Bush beans — May 11 – Jun 1 Jun 30
Carrot — Apr 15 – May 27 Jun 14
Beet — Apr 8 – May 20 May 28
Potato — Apr 15 – May 6 Jun 24
Kale Feb 25 – Mar 11 Apr 8 – Apr 22 May 21
Broccoli Feb 25 – Mar 11 Apr 8 – Apr 29 Jun 7
Cucumber Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 7
Summer squash and zucchini Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 2
Winter squash Apr 20 – Apr 27 May 18 – Jun 1 Aug 6
Sweet corn — May 11 – Jun 1 Jul 10
Onion (from sets) — Apr 8 – Apr 29 Jul 7
Garlic — Sep 22 – Oct 20 (fall) following summer
Spinach — Mar 25 – Apr 22 May 2
Basil Apr 6 – Apr 20 May 18 – Jun 1 Jul 14

Plan all 65 crops for Lochbuie

Lochbuie's weather over time

How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.

Apr 15May 1May 15Jun 1 19801990200020102020
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
YearLast spring frost
1974Apr 30
1975May 29
1976May 13
1977Apr 21
1978May 9
1981May 10
1982May 6
1983May 18
1984May 8
1985Apr 9
1986Apr 19
1987Apr 21
1988May 4
1989May 1
1990May 10
1992Apr 26
1993May 2
1994Apr 30
1995May 4
1996Apr 30
1997May 3
1998Apr 29
1999May 12
2000May 13
2001May 21
2002May 24
2003May 10
2004May 1
2007Apr 20
2008May 11
2010May 13
2011May 5
2012Apr 16
2013May 5
2014May 14
2015May 11
2016May 8
2017May 4
2018Apr 25
2019May 22
2020Apr 29
2021May 12
2022May 21
2023Apr 24
2024Apr 21
2025Apr 30
2026May 7

What this means for you: Since 1974, Lochbuie's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has grown by about 5 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.

Source: daily records from Brighton 3 Se (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.

Nearby towns

BrightonHudsonFort LuptonAristocrat RanchettesTodd CreekKeenesburg