Rocky Ford, CO 81067 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Rocky Ford, CO?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 05/01, about 246 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 159 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Rocky Ford in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Rocky Ford before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/01 isn't a guarantee
05/01 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/20 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/14 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Rocky Ford compares
At roughly 159 frost-free days, Rocky Ford places 32,648 of 40,283 ZIP codes in this dataset. Within CO, it ranks 113 of 624.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and Rocky Ford's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Rocky Ford's dates instead of trusting one.