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When to plant in Loveland, CO

USDA Zone 5b

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

Zone 5b means Loveland sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · LOVELAND 2N · 2.7 km
Last spring frost
May 10
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 1
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
144 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for LovelandA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Loveland: last spring frost around May 10, first fall frost around October 1, about 144 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

LOVELAND 2N · 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 Loveland’s own odds, recorded at LOVELAND 2N.

Frost-probability curves for LovelandProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 10 and the first fall frost around October 1, giving about 144 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 4May 22May 11Sep 8Sep 22Oct 4
32°FMay 22May 10Apr 30Sep 15Oct 1Oct 13
28°FMay 14May 2Apr 17Sep 22Oct 10Oct 22

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 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 9July 23
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 9August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Beet
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Collards
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Endive
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Escarole
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Kale
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Kohlrabi
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 4 days
Peas
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Radicchio
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Swiss Chard
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Turnip
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Arugula
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Bok Choy
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Chervil
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Cilantro
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Lettuce
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Mizuna
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Mustard Greens
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Radish
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Spinach
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Tatsoi
August 6September 3

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 Loveland, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 18 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.

LOVELAND 2N
Primary
3 km · 1548 m elevation
SPRING
May 10
FALL
Oct 1
WATERDALE
12 km · 1594 m elevation
SPRING
May 12
FALL
Oct 1
FT COLLINS
18 km · 1525 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 7

Loveland planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Loveland, CO?

Plan for the last spring frost in Loveland around May 10 (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 Loveland, CO?

The first fall frost in Loveland typically arrives around October 1 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Loveland in?

Loveland is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Loveland?

There are roughly 144 frost-free days in Loveland (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around May 10 to the first fall frost near October 1.

When should I plant tomatoes in Loveland?

In Loveland, start tomato seeds indoors around March 15–March 29, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 17 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Loveland

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LOVELAND 2N, 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 Loveland, CO — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00055236. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/colorado/loveland.
When to Plant in Loveland, CO — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden