Frost dates for La Junta, 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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
May 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 4
typical year
Growing season
148 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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Onions | – | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Kale | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Broccoli | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Cabbage | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 23 – Sep 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 25 – Jun 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 25 – Jul 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 25 – Jun 22 | – |
| Basil | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | May 8 | April 26 |
| Fall frost before | September 24 | October 4 | October 15 |
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 29 (May 13 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 11.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LA JUNTA 17 WSW, CO US (USW00003063), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 23 miles:
81039, 81059
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.