Vegetable Planting Time
Curtis Swift, Ph.D., Colorado State University Extension
Vegetables can be divided into two general groups - cool season vegetables and warm season vegetables. Cool season vegetables are frost-hardy and thrive in cool weather. All do well in early spring. Some may be replanted in late summer and fall to take advantage of the cool fall weather.
Warm season vegetables are frost tender and require a warm growing season. These vegetables should not be planted until all danger of frost is past.
The specific cultivar selected for use as a transplant should be based in part on the length of the growing season and the relative maturity rate of that cultivar. Cultivars that develop slowly (require a long growing season) would not the proper choice for an area with a short growing season. Areas with short growing seasons may be restricted to the production of cold-hardy vegetables only. Seed catalogs typically provide the length of days required from seeding to harvest.
The following chart provides the approximate time for the planting of vegetable seeds based on the average last spring frost and the average first fall frost. If you live within the four county Tri River Area of Colorado (Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Ouray counties), that climate data is provided. If you live in another part of the country your local Extension office should be able to provide you with those dates.
Transplants started from seed are typically more cold sensitive than when the same plant is directly seeded into the garden. It is suggested that transplants be set out into the garden after all danger of frost has past or hot caps or other protective devices be used to shelter these tender transplants from the rigors of cold weather.
| Cold-Hardy Plants for Early Spring Planting | Cold-Tender or Heat Hardy Plants for Late Spring or Early Summer Planting | Fall Planting | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very hardy (plant approximately six (6) weeks prior to last killing spring frost) | Hardy (plant two to four weeks before the average last spring frost) | Not cold-hardy (plant after average last spring frost) | Requiring hot weather (plant at least one week after average last spring frost) | Medium heat- tolerant (good for summer planting; i.e. June in this area) | Hardy plants for late summer or fall planting (plant approximately two months prior to average first killing fall frost) |
| asparagus broccoli cabbage horseradish lettuce onions leeks peas broad bean spinach turnip Brussel sprouts Cold Hardy crops can also be planted in the late fall for a spring crop! |
beet carrot chard mustard parsnip radish cauliflower celery potato |
bean (snap) soybean squash sweet corn tomato New Zealand spinach |
bean (lima) eggplant pepper sweet potato cucumber melon okra pumpkin |
Beans (Lima & snap) chard soybean New Zealand spinach squash |
beet collard kale lettuce mustard spinach turnip peas |
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