Is it safe to plant flowers in Denver now that Mother’s Day has passed?

Brooke Williams
·2 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Mother’s Day has come and gone, and the weather in Denver is warming up.

Mother’s Day is generally known as the unofficial start of planting season in Colorado, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to put plants in the ground.

The best rule of a green thumb is to start planting once the possibility of frost has passed.

In Denver, the average last spring frost comes around May 5, according to the National Weather Service. However, recent years have seen late freezes in the last couple of weeks of May.

Garden guide: When to plant flowers, fruits and vegetables in Colorado

The last time that temperatures dropped below freezing in Denver was pretty spot on for the average last date with 31 degrees on May 4.

The latest last freeze of the season, according to the NWS, happened on June 8, 2007.

Here are the last freeze dates for the last six years:

  • 2023: April 23

  • 2022: May 21

  • 2021: May 12

  • 2020: May 6

  • 2019: May 22

  • 2018: April 25

Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Liz McGiffin said chances of another freeze in the Denver metro area are pretty low at this point.

“Overall, we’re at a good spot, especially because the next week is in the 40s and we’re probably at the point with the sun angle and warmer temperatures — it’s likely that if anything if we do get a freak isolated day, you could probably just cover it, it won’t be like a stretch of days,” McGiffin said.

When do wildflowers bloom in Colorado?

The lowest low temperature in the forecast this week is 44 degrees on Wednesday night. Most of the week’s low temperatures are in the upper 40s.

Chances for showers stick around Monday through Wednesday, and temperatures will likely be in the 70s every day except Wednesday. Thursday and through the weekend are expected to be sunny with highs nearing 80 degrees, perfect weather for some gardening.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most cold-weather crops require a minimum soil temperature of 40 degrees for plants to thrive.

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