Frost dates for Gunnison, 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
June 21
typical year
Safe to plant
July 7
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 5
typical year
Growing season
74 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 | – | May 24 – Jun 7 | – |
| Spinach | – | May 10 – 31 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | May 24 – Jun 14 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | May 24 – Jul 5 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Onions | – | May 24 – Jun 7 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 31 – Jun 21 | Jun 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Kale | Apr 12 – 26 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Broccoli | Apr 12 – 26 | Jun 7 – 21 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Cabbage | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 25 – Aug 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | – | Jul 7 – 28 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jul 7 – Aug 4 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Jun 2 – 16 | Jul 14 – 21 | – |
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 | July 7 | June 21 | June 7 |
| Fall frost before | August 21 | September 5 | September 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 June 7 (June 22 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 16.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Gunnison
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station COCHETOPA CREEK, CO US (USC00051713), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
81230, 81239, 81248
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.