Planting windows for El Vado Dam
Computed from El Vado Dam's own frost dates. Click any crop for the full zone-5 growing guide — varieties, spacing, fall plantings, and more.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Transplant | Direct sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍅 Tomatoes | Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 | — |
| 🫑 Peppers | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | Jun 27 – Jul 4 | — |
| 🥬 Lettuce | May 2 – May 16 | May 16 – May 30 | May 16 – Jun 13 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | May 2 – May 16 |
| 🥕 Carrots | — | — | May 23 – Jun 13 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Apr 25 – May 9 | May 23 – Jun 6 | — |
| 🥬 Kale | May 2 – May 16 | May 16 – May 30 | May 16 – May 30 |
| 🥒 Cucumbers | May 16 – May 23 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 |
| 🥒 Zucchini | May 16 – May 23 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 |
| 🫘 Green Beans (Bush) | — | — | Jun 20 – Jun 27 |
| 🌽 Sweet Corn | — | — | Jun 20 – Jun 27 |
| 🌿 Basil | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 20 – Jun 27 | Jun 27 – Jul 4 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Fall: Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
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 El Vado Dam's dates automatically after a lookup.
Reading the season in El Vado Dam
At about 97 frost-free days, El Vado Dam 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.