This is When to Plant Your Garden in Northern Colorado

It's that time of year again. That time to start thinking about what vegetables you want to put in your garden for this upcoming growing season. Planting too early in our climate can lead to your vegetables not living a healthy life.

Snow in Spring is quite normal here in Colorado. Just because we got a few nice 70 degree days, doesn't mean winter is behind us. Soil temperatures need to be warmer for the most popular backyard crops like tomatoes and peppers.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, this is when you should plant some of the most popular backyard crops:

A couple of extra tips when it comes to gardening in Colorado and in general.

• Too much care - There is such a thing as loving your garden too much. Watering too often, pruning, etc. can hinder your yield from your favorite plants.
• Pest control - Some pests like the Tomato Hornworm can wipe out a tomato plant in as little as a day. I like to use an organic pest control spray like neem oil to keep pests at bay.
• Fungus control - Vining plants such as cucumbers and pumpkins are prone to getting a fungus known at powdery mildew. This can spread from one plant to another quite easily. Neem oil is not only good at controlling pests, but it works quite well as a fungicide too.
• Fertilizer - Feeding your garden is one of the most important things you can do to ensure you get a great yield. Fertilizers usually consist of three components. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Nitrogen will assist in the growth of your plants and their leaves. Phosphorus will help grow the roots and flower for fruiting. Potassium will help with the overall function of the plant. Take care when fertilizing as using too much could possibly burn your plants.

Source: Farmer's Almanac