Anyone here on the Front Range in CO?

I'm in Colorado Springs - Zone 5b - and would love to get to know others nearby who are SF Gardeners

I'm a long-time raised-bed gardener and am installing some square foot beds this spring. I live in northwest Denver, the Berkeley neighborhood. Hi.

nice to know I'm not the only one on the forums in CO.

As you've probably surmised, I'm brand new to this, and hope to learn a LOT from everyone here. It surely will help to have a 'neighbor' to compare notes with! I know the front range is made up of a wide variety of microclimates. Here near downtown Colorado Springs, I'm in zone 5b. I'm willing to take a few chances on some zone 6 plantings, but will mostly look for hardier plants that can take a bit of a chill and a shorter season. What zone are you in, up there in Denver?

Looking forward to getting to know you!

I guess this is zone 5. Rarely gets below -10, never below -20. My last frost date is usually the second week in May, though I can put out tomatoes before that in wall-o-waters. I set them in half-barrels against a south-facing masonry wall and they do great. First frost is mid to late October.

This is my first year sf gardening, so I am excited to see how things turn out. Until we re-landscape the area, I'll probably keep the tomatoes in the barrels, but everything else is going in the new sf beds. I just laid out 4 4x4's. One is filled. I am going to try at least one of the beds using soil from where my old raised beds were. We have 10 years of digging in chopped leaves every fall, as well as amending in the spring with our own compost. Aside from maybe a few more weed seeds than the Mel's mix, I think this dirt will work great. Black, fluffy, moist.

I raise mostly vegetables and herbs, not much of a flower gardener, though I have some iris and echinacea and roses around. I hardly ever plant annual flowers. What do you grow?

Hi Wyldflower,
I am also in Colorado Springs. You are so right about the micro climates here. I started sfg last year. Started late but it did well. I am in the south east side of town.

HI ndespres! How are you doing with getting started for this year? I'm curious to know how far 'behind' I am. I've got cold crop seedlings started indoors, and will harden them off over the next few days to a week (until I get my boxes built).

I've also got some tomatoes (san Marzano and Beefsteak heirloom) and peppers (sweet and jalapeno) starting inside.... I just today saw the sprouts coming up on the tomatoes! WooHoo!

I'll probably also buy some already started plants at one or another of the garden centers. I was at Good Earth today, and they have all sorts of tomatoes, but they won't be ready for sale for about three weeks. I'm looking at "Stupice" and "Sugary" as early tomatoes, and "Brandywine" for a later tomato.

Do you have any favorites, or recommendations for this area? (I'm between Circle and Union, off Cache)

Your not behind. The average last frost date is May 15, so putting in tomatoes earlier than that is not practical. I have always wanted to start my own plants but my lighting in the house is not good enough for that, so I buy my transplants. I don't get the varity of plants that I would like but I haven't figure out an alternative yet.

I am planning on planting spinach and lettuce and maybe snap peas today. I may have to cover them if we get anymore snow. I have been staring at my grow boxes for the past two months waiting for today.

I haven't totally decided yet for this year, but I do want to try growing some winter squash verticle. New things for me this year will be brocolli, and cauliflower.

This is the third time I have tried gardening in Colorado Springs. We have been in apartments up until now. I am really excited about this year.

I am by Acadmey and Hancock. Our climates should be just about the same. I don't think our elevation is much different.

I am in the Village 7 area, and this is my first year to do SFG, and we are VERY excited!

Hi, lkmom!

Good to have neighbors here! I'm closer to downtown than you, but we'll be dealing with most of the same conditions. I only started gardening last year, and this is my first SFG.

My grandson and I got my beds built and filled today, and I'm hardening off some starts of cool weather crops. I really REALLY can't wait for mid-may when we can put out summer veggies. (Looking forward to tomatoes that taste like tomatoes.)

How much of a garden are you planning? What do you plan to grow? It'll be fun to compare notes with another SFG newbie in my area. Have you found your vermiculite? If not, Rick's Garden Center on Uintah has it.

Welcome, and happy gardening!

We got our beds made last year, and this year we get dirt! Yes, I got my compost and peat moss at Lowe's and trying to get down to Rick's to get the verm. and some seeds. Working on the grids now. We have two 4x4 boxes and one 3x8. My problem is trying to decide what NOT to grow! =) The kids also each have a square of their own to do whatever they want in, so they're very excited as well. I am very grateful to be connecting with someone in the area, thank you!

Hi there. We are in Fountain...

WooHoo!!! The Front Range crew is growing like we(hah bet you thought I was gonna say weeds)'re planted in Mel's Mix!

Nice to see neighbors in CS and Fountain, as well as up in Littleton and the Denver area!

If anyone wants to get together one of these days, just let me know!

This is our second year at sfg out in the plains of eastern CO almost to the NE border.

I am in Littleton and this is my first year gardening! Great to know there are some others here in the area.

Add one more to the Springs area, I'm here around Powers and S. Carefree. Got a very late start last year but am thrilled to be learning this method