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When to plant in Durango, CO

USDA Zone 6b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Durango, Colorado — all computed from Durango's nearest NOAA weather station.

In zone 6b, Durango gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · DURANGO · 3.3 km
Last spring frost
May 21
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 2
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
134 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for DurangoA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Durango: last spring frost around May 21, first fall frost around October 2, about 134 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

DURANGO · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Durango’s own odds, recorded at DURANGO.

Frost-probability curves for DurangoProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 21 and the first fall frost around October 2, giving about 134 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FJun 19Jun 2May 20Sep 11Sep 25Oct 5
32°FJun 7May 21May 7Sep 19Oct 2Oct 15
28°FMay 27May 7Apr 24Sep 29Oct 12Oct 23

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 10July 24
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 10August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Beet
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Collards
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Endive
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Escarole
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Kale
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Kohlrabi
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 5 days
Peas
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Radicchio
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Swiss Chard
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 5 days
Turnip
July 24August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Arugula
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Bok Choy
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Chervil
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Cilantro
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Lettuce
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Mizuna
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Mustard Greens
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Radish
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Spinach
August 7September 4
Fall sowin 19 days
Tatsoi
August 7September 4

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Durango, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 17 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

DURANGO
Primary
3 km · 2061 m elevation
SPRING
May 21
FALL
Oct 2
FT LEWIS
16 km · 2321 m elevation
SPRING
Jun 1
FALL
Sep 27
DURANGO LA PLATA CO AP
17 km · 2030 m elevation
SPRING
Jun 1
FALL
Sep 27

Durango planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Durango, CO?

Plan for the last spring frost in Durango around May 21 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Durango, CO?

The first fall frost in Durango typically arrives around October 2 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Durango in?

Durango is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. In zone 6b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Durango?

Durango has about 134 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 21) and first fall frost (October 2).

When should I plant tomatoes in Durango?

For Durango, sow tomatoes indoors about March 26–April 9 and move the seedlings out around May 28, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Durango

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Durango’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at DURANGO, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Durango, CO — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00052441. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/colorado/durango.
When to Plant in Durango, CO — Frost Dates & Zone 6b — BlissGarden