Placerville, CO Frost Dates & Growing Season

The two dates every Placerville garden is planned around, plus ready-computed planting windows for the most popular crops.

Last spring frost
May 26
~50% chance of frost after
First fall frost
Sep 29
~50% chance of frost before
Growing season
126 days
frost-free stretch
USDA zone
≈ 5b
estimated from nearby reference
Risky (1 year in 10)MedianSafe (9 years in 10)
Last spring frost May 14 May 26 Jun 6
First fall frost Oct 10 Sep 29 Sep 17
Hard freeze (28°F), median last May 13 · first Oct 6

Computed from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the PLACERVILLE station. "Safe" means frost past that date happens only about one year in ten. Your exact garden can still run days either way with elevation and terrain — check your own ZIP with the frost date lookup.

Planting windows for Placerville

Computed from Placerville's own frost dates. Click any crop for the full zone-5 growing guide — varieties, spacing, fall plantings, and more.

CropStart seeds indoorsTransplantDirect sow
🍅 Tomatoes Mar 31 – Apr 14 Jun 2 – Jun 9
🫑 Peppers Mar 17 – Mar 31 Jun 9 – Jun 16
🥬 Lettuce Apr 14 – Apr 28 Apr 28 – May 12 Apr 28 – May 26
🫛 Peas Apr 14 – Apr 28
🥕 Carrots May 5 – May 26
🥦 Broccoli Apr 7 – Apr 21 May 5 – May 19
🥬 Kale Apr 14 – Apr 28 Apr 28 – May 12 Apr 28 – May 12
🥒 Cucumbers Apr 28 – May 5 Jun 2 – Jun 9 Jun 2 – Jun 9
🥒 Zucchini Apr 28 – May 5 Jun 2 – Jun 9 Jun 2 – Jun 9
🫘 Green Beans (Bush) Jun 2 – Jun 9
🌽 Sweet Corn Jun 2 – Jun 9
🌿 Basil Apr 14 – Apr 28 Jun 2 – Jun 9 Jun 9 – Jun 16
🧄 Garlic Fall: Aug 18 – Sep 15

Want this for all 50 crops, or as a printable seed-shelf schedule? Use the planting calendar and the seed starting scheduler — both can use Placerville's dates automatically after a lookup.

Reading the season in Placerville

At about 126 frost-free days, Placerville rewards efficiency: start warm-season crops indoors, favor short-season varieties, and lean on cold-tolerant crops — peas, kale, roots — that shrug off the shoulder-season frosts on either end.

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Placerville, CO?

The average last spring frost in Placerville is around May 26, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. That's a median — about half of years see a later frost, so tender crops are safest going out a week or two after this date.

When is the first frost in Placerville, CO?

The average first fall frost in Placerville arrives around Sep 29. Crops still in the garden need to mature before then, and frost-tender plants need harvesting or protection as the date approaches.

How long is the growing season in Placerville?

About 126 frost-free days on average, from May 26 to Sep 29. That favors short-season varieties and transplants for warm-season crops, with cool-season vegetables doing the heavy lifting in spring and fall.

What USDA zone is Placerville in?

USDA zone 5b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Note that zones describe winter cold, not frost timing — these frost dates are the numbers to plan plantings around.