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zaleysmom

Do you feel lucky, punk?

steviewonder
9 years ago

I've moved the tomato transplants and newly potted herb starts into the cold frame. Spinach and lettuce are in pots on the deck. More herbs are begging to be potted. Peas, beans, and round 2 of tomatoes are sprouting in front of my single sunny window.

Also I would like to prune back last year's rose canes.

The 'official' average last frost date for the Denver area is May 2 (50%), May 12 (80%), and May 18 (90%).

So, being this is the Colorado Front Range and one late frost will kill all your starts, ya gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?"

Anyone willing to gamble on last frost date this year on the Front Range?

Comments (25)

  • gjcore
    9 years ago

    What would the gamble be? Dead or stunted plants? Something else?

    I usually shoot for about May 15th for tenders. First checking the 10 day forecast for any storms or temps below 45. I already have quite a bit of the tenders hardened off and mostly growing happy in a cold frame.

    steviewonder, you're starting peas and beans indoors?

  • treebarb Z5 Denver
    9 years ago

    Stevie,

    I am sorely tempted to push it this year. I just checked the 10 day forecast on the weather channel and we have a 32 degree overnight temp predicted for April 29th. I'd pot things and start hardening off, but keep transport boxes handy.

    Cat had asked about pruning roses a few weeks ago. I'm usually a week or two behind the city dwellers on bud out, but my roses are leafing now, so I'd go ahead and prune.

    I'm feeling cautiously lucky!

  • steviewonder
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yep I'm starting everything inside now. I just can't get out there often enough to keep the seeds from drying out. Also I have a new puppy who follows behind me and digs wherever I dig⦠and he's already big enough to get over my "please keep out" plastic fencing!

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    I am running out of room under the lights so everything is getting an extra long hardening off this year. I wont plant out things like peppers and tomatoes unti next month but since temps are *generaly* cooperating they get to go outside during the day. But Im stuck traipsing them in and out for the next couple weeks.

  • jaliranchr
    9 years ago

    It is so tempting, but too many experiences with a late May cold snap for me to give in to the urge to get things out early. Closer we get to Mother's Day and the temperature trends I see, then I'll make a call, but I'll stay cautious at this point.

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Here, I've been smacked by June 10th-ish frosts way too many times. I still try to plant the tenders out the first week of June, but keep a big heap of grass clippings by each plant in case I need to cover them up a night or two.

    I also have 100+ gallon nursery pots which are useful for protecting the taller pepper plants.

    In May/June, my NOAA weather forecasts change every time I look.

  • jaliranchr
    9 years ago

    This is why I'll fight my desire to get things out and wait it out. :)

  • chellers
    9 years ago

    Yeah, I am going out of town this weekend, so no gardening opportunities, and I am glad for that because it will make me wait until the weekend of May 1st to look at the forecast and decide what to do. I am running out of space indoors under the lights for all my seedlings, but I'm just having things take turns under the lights and in the windows and crossing my fingers for a warm May!

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    We've got a warning up for this weekend of 'major spring storm' with snow and rain and wind and freezing temps etc.

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    Hell, at this rate, were not going be done with winter until August! And to think we just got re-classed to a warmer zone haha.

  • steviewonder
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well things are still clear as mud.

    But at least I know I'm not alone in being cautious. I moved a bunch of stuff into the cold frame today and actually duct taped on the vent (which flies off in the wind). Hoping things stay above freezing in there tonight.

    Have I told you lately how much I dislike this wind?
    Steviewonder

  • gjcore
    9 years ago

    I just covered up my coldframe with a sleeping bag and a space blanket tarp with the tender plants in it. Usually keeps the frame at least in the high 40s.

    I'm not a big fan of the wind either.

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    Well I suppose i could be worse. As much of a nuisance as wind is at least its not a tornado!

    As far as cold goes frost has bit back several of my potatoes since I forgot to cover them last night (doh!) glad Ive been trapsing the warm weather guys in and out every day!

  • Golden David
    9 years ago

    Forecast is showing lows in the 40s for the next 10 days, that gets us to May 15.

    I think it may be time to get gettin' on this planting out.

  • chellers
    9 years ago

    Yep, I agree. I am hardening things off this week, and will probably try to plant at least my tomatoes Thursday evening. I have walls of water up for those. Fingers crossed!

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    We're in for a freeze and snow on Wed / Thurs.

    I don't even think about it until June.

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    I was going to get started this weekend until 9 News had on their forecast banner this morning lows around freezing for Sun/Mon.

  • gjcore
    9 years ago

    Hail in the forecast for later tonight. I'm glad I haven't moved my coldframes or tunnels out of the garden yet.

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Freeze warning tonight here as well.

  • chellers
    9 years ago

    Yeah we got hail last night. Nothing big, but quite a bit of it - and it was hitting hard, as I experienced as I scurried around the veggie garden putting gallon pots over my cabbage and kohlrabi and a few new herbs. Thank goodness I saw the forecast for this weekend and decided to put everything else back in the mini greenhouse! I didn't get to see it all in the daylight this morning, but I think everything survived okay.

    Boo for Sunday and Mondays weather!

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    And they keep dropping the temps. Now were sitting at a high of 47 for Sunday with a chance of rain/snow mix for the foothills/west side of the metro area.

    The nice thing is I live in a weird pocket right against the foothills where most of the severe thunderstorm weather seems to jump over us and pick back up just the east so I don't see even 1/4 of the hail I did when I lived in Arapahoe County.

  • crab_grass
    9 years ago

    Anybody have any advice on protecting my strawberries,peas and greens? The strawberries were planted last year but they're already blossoming. I know the greens and peas are cold hearty but I'm not sure if they will stand up to 6" of wet heavy snow. Should I try to cover things up? The peas are already climbing so that may be difficult but I am willing to try anything you guys might suggest.

  • ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
    9 years ago

    Sorry Crab-Grass, when you live in a state that stuck in the Pleistocene, there's no hope!

    Okay I'm *partially* joking.

    Yes, if you cover them they should be fine, but I always put a strong wooden frame work up first so that the snow isn't crushing them. The snow itself will insulate the plants, actually, keeping it a tad warmer under your tent/snow blanket (igloo?). The only thing that worries me with the snow is the smoosh factor, not really the cold. Well that, and the fact I'm lazy and it's a lot of work to build the tents, especially after I have been working outside shirtless for a week and a half, and now THIS!

  • gjcore
    9 years ago

    Greens and strawberries should be fine just left alone though it's possible that if the fruit is sizing up it might freeze if there's not snow cover.

    Protecting the peas is a bit trickier unless you want to make a tunnel (2' rebar, 10' flexible pvc, builders plastic, rocks, bricks etc to weigh down edges) at the last minute. The pea plants themselves should be fine through this cold snap but any flowers or pods may not make it through.

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Peas don't care if they're under snow, in fact as Zach says, it works as insulation. They get dinged if it gets below 22 F or something, and even then â¦..