first plantings in Colorado

[COgirl19]

We live in Northern Colorado after moving from Virginia. Does anyone know what some good first spring plantings would be in this area or just in general?

[elanorh]

You may want to build a few cold frames to extend your growing season. I'm sure there's good advice here, otherwise Eliot Coleman's Four Season Harvest is a good source of information too.

If you check Mother Earth News, they have a pretty nice section on what to grow, when, based on input from gardeners in those regions:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organ...Plant-Now.aspx

You could also check with your local Cooperative Extension office and see whether they have any advice. Colorado's system is very supportive of gardening/home gardening.

I'm farther north than you, but would suspect that you're still a ways out from your ground thawing yet. Where I live, most things go into the ground at the same time; the season is short, so that's just the way it has to be. If you start some things indoors and then move out when the soil is ready, that would give you a little head start.

The hardiest things are what you'd want to plant first - spinach, kale - peas, potatoes.

Also, noting that you've moved from VA to CO, you may want to talk to your local Cooperative Extension Office about drought-tolerant gardening (xeric), and how to maximize water with your garden, lawn, etc. They will have good information and advice for you.

[COgirl19]

thanks for the info! I love Mother Earth News...we also have a great co-op here in Fort Collins so I may stop in and get some info too.

[macly]

We're in northern Utah and this is my second season gardening here, and the second season of real gardening. So I'm a newbie. I second the extension services. I looked over their literature quite a bit last season when I was deciding what to plant. Last year our winter wasn't as cold as this years, and we had a freakish week of 60 degree weather the beginning of March. It was wonderful. I think the ground was thawed before hand, it definitely was after that week. I put chard, peas, and spinach in the ground March 10th. We did get typical spring weather after that with rain and freezing rain/slushy snow periodically after that but all those seeds sprouted and gave me a wonderful spring harvest.

Sorry I can't be of much help, but hope that helps!