Spring is here! If the warmer weather and the hints of nature waking up have inspired you to start a garden this year, you’re in the right place.
Can Colorado Weather Support a Garden?
Most areas of Colorado’s Front Range can support various varieties of flowers, vegetables, and even fruit during the summer, spring, and fall. The key is to get familiar with the temperature and sunlight patterns in your area and to choose varieties to grow that align with your growing window!
You can find your local plant hardiness zone by typing your zip code into the USDA plant hardiness map. From there, browse seed packets at your local garden center and check the back or the accompanying website to discover whether the vegetable or flower variety you’re shopping for will thrive in your local climate, and when to plant it.
In most areas along the Front Range including Denver and Colorado Springs, vegetable gardeners can see excellent success with crops including:
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Lettuce
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Spinach
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Tomatoes
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Peppers
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Beets
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Carrots
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Onions
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Potatoes
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Beans
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Parsley
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Basil
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Cucumbers
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Zucchini
Many flowers thrive in Colorado spring and summertime as well, though the cold winters mean many varieties only grow as annuals here and won’t make another appearance next year without replanting.
You can always start seedlings indoors or use a greenhouse to extend your growing season and get more adventurous about varieties.
Considerations for a Colorado Garden
In addition to timing your planting around your local growing season and weather patterns, it’s also important to consider the following elements as you plan your Colorado garden:
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Wildlife: If you live in an area where you’re lucky enough to see deer or similar wildlife regularly, remember that the food you’re growing is delicious to them as well! Rabbits, squirrels, rodents, and other natural inhabitants of your neighborhood may be drawn to your garden. You might consider adding a protective layer of fencing over your garden bed to deter local wildlife from indulging in your crops.
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Temperature swings and hail: Growing seasons are based on the last frost date in your area, which can never be guaranteed! Your early spring crops and blooms might need a bit of extra support during the notoriously moody Colorado springtime. Many Colorado gardeners keep buckets or plastic coverings on hand to shield spring blooms and seedlings from hail.
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Soil: Much of Colorado’s soil is high in clay, making it difficult to garden directly in the ground. You can order a soil test to find out more about the balance of the soil at your home and add amendments from there to garden in-ground. Many gardeners in Colorado opt for raised beds instead, which require a bit of an up-front cost to fill but can last for many years if you keep up with compost and other garden nutrients.
How to Start Your Colorado Garden
With the above considerations top of mind, it’s time to build out your garden and get planting!
Whether you amend your native soil for in-ground beds or you opt for raised beds, setting up your growing area is step one. In choosing raised beds, consider your own mobility, your local wind and weather patterns, and what you’ll want to grow. For example, elevated beds are wonderful for those who don’t want to lean down repeatedly to pull weeds and harvest vegetables, but if your neighborhood sees high winds, a tall planter with a solid base might be a better option.
You could build your garden beds from scrap wood, repurpose a feed trough, or piece together a resin or plastic bed. If your garden beds are very deep, fill the bottom layers with logs, sticks, and other yard waste (but not weeds!), then top with soil and compost.
With beds sorted out, consider your watering plan. You’ll need a way to water your plants as close to the soil as possible and keep a regular daily or twice-daily schedule in the summer heat. You could install a drip system using a rubber hose, dig terracotta pots into your soil for slow and steady water distribution, or simply plan to water by hand daily.
Next, make your seed selections. If you’re getting started early enough in zones like Denver’s 6A, your best strategy is generally to sow most of your seeds in-ground besides those that need a longer growing season like tomatoes and peppers. You could start those indoors with grow lights, or you can purchase started plants and transplant them into your garden when the temperatures will support them outdoors.
Use the information on each seed packet and get planting! Cold-hardy crops like sugar snap peas and spinach are ready to sow as early as the beginning of April in zone 6A.
No matter how many years you’ve been gardening, there’s always something new to learn and discover. Gardening is a constant experiment, and with so many moving parts and countless variables in nature, no one will ever have a gardening season that’s without its difficulties. Each year, the tradeoff in beauty, delicious food, and a relaxing hobby is well worth it.
If you’re dreaming of a home with a larger yard for gardening or you’re planning on buying your first Colorado home, we’d love to help! Reach out anytime to talk through current inventory in Colorado and how to buy along the Front Range.
