The Best Garden Vegetables for Colorado.note

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Greens

Colorado's cool, wet springs are ideal for growing greens such as lettuce,

spinach, kale and broccoli. Plant these crops between mid-March and late-April,

depending on where you live, because they bolt and run to seed as soon as the

weather gets hot. Many of these crops turn bitter during dry weather so monitor

the soil carefully, especially if you have the sandy soil that's common east of

Denver.

Root Vegetables

Plant potatoes, carrots and fennel from mid-to-late April for a late summer crop.

If you have clay soils, try using raised beds or plant small varieties. The heavy

soils found throughout much of the Front Range stunt the growth of long carrots,

causing them to be deformed or crooked. Shorter varieties grow successfully,

though.

Beans

Beans grow beautifully in Colorado's warm, dry climate. They are rarely bothered

by pests or disease and mature long before the first fall frost. Beans will also

come back if hit by a light hailstorm, unlike many garden vegetables. Plant either

row or bush beans after the last expected frost, which is typically mid-May,

according to the Colorado State University Extension.

Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant all grow well in Colorado, although most

gardeners find that chile peppers are more successful than bell peppers in

Colorado's dry climate. Plant these heat-loving crops two to three weeks after the

last expected frost, or use cloches and row covers to keep them warm. Monitor

the soil moisture carefully to avoid blossom end rot or cracked skins from over

watering. Heirloom varieties that might succumb to disease in more humid

regions grow easily in Colorado.

Squash

Even the most inexperienced gardener can grow zucchini in Colorado. In fact,

gardeners are often tired of zucchini long before it is done producing. Pumpkins

also grow well in Colorado's dry climate and make decorative accents for fall.

Plant both from seed after the last expected frost and give them plenty of room to

grow.Greens

Colorado's cool, wet springs are ideal for growing greens such as lettuce,

spinach, kale and broccoli. Plant these crops between mid-March and late-April,

depending on where you live, because they bolt and run to seed as soon as the

weather gets hot. Many of these crops turn bitter during dry weather so monitor

the soil carefully, especially if you have the sandy soil that's common east of

Denver.

Root Vegetables

Plant potatoes, carrots and fennel from mid-to-late April for a late summer crop.

If you have clay soils, try using raised beds or plant small varieties. The heavy

soils found throughout much of the Front Range stunt the growth of long carrots,

causing them to be deformed or crooked. Shorter varieties grow successfully,

though.

Beans

Beans grow beautifully in Colorado's warm, dry climate. They are rarely bothered

by pests or disease and mature long before the first fall frost. Beans will also

come back if hit by a light hailstorm, unlike many garden vegetables. Plant either

row or bush beans after the last expected frost, which is typically mid-May,

according to the Colorado State University Extension.

Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant all grow well in Colorado, although most

gardeners find that chile peppers are more successful than bell peppers in

Colorado's dry climate. Plant these heat-loving crops two to three weeks after the

last expected frost, or use cloches and row covers to keep them warm. Monitor

the soil moisture carefully to avoid blossom end rot or cracked skins from over

watering. Heirloom varieties that might succumb to disease in more humid

regions grow easily in Colorado.

Squash

Even the most inexperienced gardener can grow zucchini in Colorado. In fact,

gardeners are often tired of zucchini long before it is done producing. Pumpkins

also grow well in Colorado's dry climate and make decorative accents for fall.

Plant both from seed after the last expected frost and give them plenty of room to

grow.