Fort Collins, Colorado planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Fort Collins

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Collins, 0.6 miles S of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Fort Collins

1. January

   Start indoors: onions

2. February

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

5. May

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tulips, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, spinach, tulips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Fort Collins

All 5 of Fort Collins's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Ft Collins, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 5b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Fort Collins

Nearby cities

• Loveland, CO zone 5b, last frost May 21
• Greeley, CO zone 5b, last frost May 2
• Longmont, CO zone 5b, last frost May 6
• Boulder, CO zone 6a, last frost May 6
• Broomfield, CO zone 6a, last frost May 2
• Cheyenne, WY zone 5b, last frost May 12