How To Grow Tomatoes In Colorado

Originally published on Our Paleo Life in April of 2017, I've since moved this post hither! These pictures are all from our garden at our previous property. Nosotros'll update this post when we're fix here at our homestead at Buckhorn Cliffs.

Growing your own vegetables is an incredibly rewarding experience that also pays yous back with fresh nutrient! But to get the best results and to reduce frustration, you should know how to garden for your location. Whether y'all're a beginner gardener or only new to gardening in Colorado, this guide will help you get the most from your efforts.

How to Get Started with Your Colorado Garden

Sympathise Your Colorado Growing Season

The local climate and how it affects the growing season is 1 of the main things to keep in mind when planning a Colorado garden. The state includes a diversity of microclimates and 9 different "growing zones," which ways certain plants may grow well in some parts of the country and not in others.

While there are differences, nigh of Colorado has a shorter growing season every bit compared to warmer, lower distance areas. The average summit across the state is 6,800 anxiety above ocean level, and for every k feet gained, the temperature drops effectually iii.5 degrees. Gardeners at lower elevations get the benefit of a warmer, longer growing season and will be able to grow more types of vegetables. There are exceptions though, such every bit in valleys, which are oftentimes chillier than hillside locations due to the sinking of cool night air.

With all that in mind, it'south important to know where your garden falls on the Establish Hardiness Zone Map, and in general, you will have the most success if yous grow plants that are labeled equally growing well in your particular zone.

Be Aware of the Weather condition

Once you lot have an idea of your climate and growing zone, yous should also recognize that Colorado weather presents a unique set of challenges that you'll have to contend with if y'all desire your garden to thrive. Gardening in a high altitude, mountainous region means you'll be dealing with relatively low humidity, high intensity sunlight, and sometimes rapid and extreme conditions changes. For instance, even Denver, which is known for hot summertime days, can even so feel cool spells within the growing flavour that may disrupt plant development. In addition, conditions tin can range from being very dry to extremely moisture, and hail storms most the end of summertime can destroy plants just as they're nearing the harvest date.

When growing in this region, you should stay vigilant about checking the weather and protect plants accordingly. It tin be very worthwhile to invest in things like row covers, hoop tunnels, shade textile, and wind breaks, as they tin can help protect your plants against farthermost or apace irresolute weather condition.

Belatedly April Snowfall

Late snow in Colorado is all too common. While it'southward annoying it can be expected. It's difficult to non become antsy when we have 80 degree days in March and April. Don't push the start date, it's non worth it and you'll have enough of time in the fall to harvest.

Tardily May Snow

Most of the pictures hither are from our old home, nosotros now live a lilliputian further west (in the mountains at a slightly higher elevation). Hither'due south a look at a late May snow.

Even if the atmospheric condition is squeamish in May… it's a gamble planting at high meridian.

Decide What Plants to Grow

Once you've pinpointed your growing flavour and sympathise how the local weather may influence things, you'll accept a more realistic idea of what plants you tin abound successfully in your area. With that in heed, make a list of all the vegetables y'all'd similar to abound for the particular season, taking into account the infinite you'll have in the garden. If you're starting in the early on spring, y'all tin grow some cool-weather plants in the beginning of the flavour and put out some warm-conditions veggies shortly after.

Almost 80% of the plants you run into in this garden were grown using seeds from SeedsTrust. They specialize in seeds that are cold-tolerant, short-flavour varieties, perfect for our high-altitude Colorado garden. And non only that, but they offer heirloom seeds and information on seed saving and then you tin preserve your favorite garden varieties twelvemonth after year. Nosotros had amazing success with our SeedsTrust Rainbow Blend Carrots (as yous can see from the photograph beneath).

Below are some of the well-nigh popular cool and warm-season crops that can grow well in Colorado.

Cool-Season Crops in Colorado

Turnips
Beets
Kale
Spinach
Lettuce
Peas
Carrots
Radishes
Chard
Cabbage
Parsnips
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Leeks
Brussels sprouts
Potatoes
Onions
Parsley

Warm Flavour Crops in Colorado

Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Beans
Cucumbers
Corn
Squash
Melons
Eggplant

Fix a Garden Site

Y'all should brainstorm preparing your garden well before it's actually time to get-go growing vegetables. If starting a new Colorado garden, preparation involves choosing a suitable location, designing the layout, and preparing the soil. If you lot're a beginner gardener, it'southward important to not get over your head in the size or scope of your garden, as this will only lead to frustration. Start with a few plants that you tin easily handle, and then y'all can get an thought of what you lot're capable of managing and how things grow in your expanse.

In our location in the foothills (half dozen,000ft) we take a lot of deer. A regular garden wouldn't cut it, we needed "walls". Here's a look at our edifice process for a deer-proof garden.

Keeping The Deer Out

They're cute but they'll eat all your hard piece of work.

Tips on Picking a Good Garden Spot

Select a site that gets at to the lowest degree half dozen to 8 hour of lord's day per twenty-four hours (many warm-flavor vegetables thrive with fifty-fifty more than hours of sunlight).
Choose a identify near your home for convenient tending and watering.
If growing warm-season crops, select the warmest spot on the property (usually on the s side or near your house, which radiates heat).

Garden Soil Preperation

Once you lot have your site chosen, y'all'll demand to become the soil ready for planting by doing the following:

Dig up any grass or vegetation within the site.
Till the soil to loosen it (this can be done by paw or with a motorcar).
While tilling, add in organic matter or compost which will enrich the soil and provide nutrients for the vegetables. A general rule for adding compost or organic fabric is to incorporate ane inch of information technology for every iv inches of soil.

Much of Colorado has alkaline, clay soils, so information technology'southward probable that you'll need to amend your soil with a adept deal of organic matter to both loosen it and to lower the pH. Most vegetables prefer a pH between 6.5 and 7, and organic matter is great at lowering the pH, especially over fourth dimension.

Decide Between Raised Beds or an In-Basis Garden

Choosing between raised beds versus growing in-basis is largely a matter of personal preference. However, there is one major advantage to choosing raised beds when you lot're dealing with Colorado weather – the soil in raised beds gets warmer sooner. This ways you tin can beginning planting earlier and requite your vegetables more time to reach full evolution. This one advantage tin brand all the difference if you're in a identify with a shorter than average growing season.

Another benefit of using a raised bed in Colorado is that y'all don't accept to debate with potentially poor, dirt-filled soil. You just fill the beds with the optimum corporeality of dirt and organic material from the start and savor loose, aerated soil without worrying about extensive tilling or amendments.

The major downside of using raised beds is that they can be expensive to both build and fill with soil. In comparison, you could theoretically articulate a place in your yard and add together bootleg compost to it with virtually no price.

A good compromise is to use raised beds for your warm-weather veggies and constitute your cool-flavor crops directly in the ground, since they're more tolerant to common cold soil.

When Do I Plant My Colorado Garden?

Most vegetables grow best on frost-free soil, so i of the offset things every gardener should know is the last and start frost dates for their location. In other words, on what date in the spring does frost stop showing up on the basis and on what date in the fall does it reappear. Of course, these dates are always an approximation and are different throughout the country, but in almost of Colorado, the last frost date falls somewhere between May 15th and 30th and the beginning frost engagement is effectually September 15th merely can arrive in early August for some places in higher elevations (above 7,500 feet).

For spring gardens, y'all can found some types of common cold hardy veggies a few weeks before the last frost engagement, but warm-season crops should only go outside after all danger of frost has passed. In that location are many online sources for finding your last and first frost appointment, so make sure to take annotation of those times when planning your garden, and read seed packets to find out when it's safe to put a particular found outside.

Frost-Hardy Vegetables (Proficient & Bad)

Here'due south a quick guide to some of the well-nigh and least frost-hardy vegetables. Employ it as a basic guideline when deciding when to establish what veggies:

Very Frost Hardy (good for early spring, leap, and fall gardens)

Kale
Lettuce
Collards
Spinach
Mustard
Turnips
Radish
Cabbage
English Peas
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Parsley

Semi-frost hardy (can handle light frosts, practiced for spring and fall gardens)

Beets
Swiss chard
Celery
Carrot
Cauliflower
Potatoes
Lettuce

Not Frost-Hardy (crave temps of 65 to xc degrees to grow, skillful for high spring and summer gardens)

Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Beans
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Sweet potatoes
Melons
Pumpkins
Southern Peas
Eggplant

Found Inside & Found Early

Where to Offset Seeds (indoors or outdoors)

You can start some veggie seeds indoors, if y'all want to give your plants a chip of a head kickoff, while others do better if sown straight in the ground or bed. The easiest manner to know if you can first a seed indoors is to read the instructions that come on the seed packet. Almost packets will list all the most important info you need to know for growing the plant, such where to start the seed, when to plant, how much lite it needs, etc.

In Colorado, it tin can be a smart idea to outset warm season crops indoors (about 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost) to ensure they get a long plenty growing time. It's less necessary to kickoff seeds indoors for common cold conditions veggies, like greens, carrots, beets, and lettuce, and many of these plants tend to do ameliorate anyway when they aren't transplanted. Kale, collards, mustards, and other greens are among the nearly tolerant to cold weather (they even taste sweeter in the cold), then you can experience comfortable sowing those directly outdoors early on in the growing season.

How to Extend Your Colorado Growing Flavour

Libation weather and late frosts in parts of Colorado can cut weeks or months off the growing flavour. In improver to starting some seeds indoors, you tin counteract this and extend your growing flavor by using one or more of these tips:

Cover the soil with blackness plastic and/or mulch to assist keep it warm.
Employ raised beds.
Plant frost-tolerant veggies early.
Plant cool-conditions crops every bit soon as soil temperatures let.
If in that location's a take chances of late frost, protect plants by covering them. Frost blankets or row covers are very convenient for this, only if you'd like to save the expense, you can also use things like milk jugs, quondam cartons, bags, etc.
Use a hoop tunnel, cold frame, or green business firm for a convenient, long term solution. These items have higher upfront costs, simply can add together months to both your spring and autumn growing seasons.

Final Tips for Growing Vegetables in Colorado

Employ mulch effectually the plants.

Considering the atmosphere is thin at loftier altitudes, water evaporates faster. A layer of mulch effectually the plants can aid go along wet in and prevent the soil from drying out as fast.

Look for quick growing varieties of plants.

The "days to harvest" info on many seed packets is tested in warmer, lower altitude atmospheric condition and may non be entirely authentic for your location. Then, select seeds types with the fewest days to harvest.

Wait for varieties described equally "cold-tolerant".

Check seed packets for characteristics like "cold tolerant," "reliable in cool weather," "productive," or "vigorous." These should have the greatest risk of surviving any unseasonable cold-spells and should reach maturity within the growing flavor.

In general, mountain gardens will have the best luck with cool season crops and may fifty-fifty accept a harvest that surpasses gardens at lower elevations. Successful gardening is largely about embracing what is known to abound well in your area and non trying to force plants that are more suited to different environments.

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Gardening In Colorado: Best Plants & Vegetables That Grow Well — Colorado Vegetable Garden & High Acme Gardening Guide

Source: https://buckhorncliffs.com/colorado-vegetable-garden/