Frost dates for Cumbre Vista - Colorado Spgs, CO
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
May 9
typical year
Safe to plant
May 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 6
typical year
Growing season
150 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 11 – May 23 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Onions | – | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Apr 11 – 25 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Kale | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – 25 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Cabbage | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 11 – 25 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 25 – Sep 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 27 – Jun 10 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 20 – Jun 10 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 20 – Jun 17 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 20 – Jun 10 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 20 – Jul 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 20 – Jun 17 | – |
| Basil | Apr 15 – 29 | May 27 – Jun 3 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 20 | May 9 | April 28 |
| Fall frost before | September 27 | October 6 | October 16 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 30 (May 11 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 14.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CUMBRE VISTA - COLORADO SPGS 1, CO US (USC00051786), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
80907, 80917, 80918, 80920, 80922, 80923, 80924, 80927, 80938
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.