Gardening at Elevation

Faith,
I'm a Colorado gardener. Where are you located? gobug

 

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/rmgard/

you can read for free but must join to post. I think this is the best site on the web for Colorado gardeners, especially those in the mountains.
BW

 

Hey Gobug,
You're in Denver? I'm in Highlands Ranch.
Do you truly wait til after Memorial Day to plant out? I usually jump the gun because I'm too excited and then end up having to cover them a couple times for some of those late snows. Last year I waited and regreted it. It was just too darn hot by then!

This year I'm going to experiment with cold frames. Do you do those, or have a greenhouse?

Peg

 

Hi!

I grew up in Illinois, moved to Idaho (at 5000 feet, from 700) and am now back in IL.

I took a ton of seed with me and about the only thing that didn't do well for me in Idaho was peas... And, I am sure that its more because I planted late and didn't innoculate than because of the altitude. If you already have seed, go ahead and try it out.

Some of the things I raised were:

Brandywine, Golden Queen and Roma tomatoes
Straight 8, Longfellow and National Pickling cucumbers
Black Beauty zucchini
Spaghetti squash
Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder green beans
Sprouting broccoli (DiCicco???)
Eggplant (forget this variety name, too....)
Bell peppers, cayennes, jalapenos and chilis of various varieties
all sorts of herbs.

Of course, in CO there's a chance that you're a heck of a lot higher from sea level than 5000 feet, but these ought to get you started, anyway!

If you've got lots of sun where you'll be growing, start most things indoors now, and plant out in late May or early June. You'll need to transplant things like the tomatoes a couple times into bigger containers before they go outside, but its worth it... Start saving cans and jugs now, lol! I've used everything from tin cans to washed out laundry detergent bottles.

Sue

 

Hi Peg,

I aim for 15 May for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cukes, and such. As you know, the end of May gets too hot too quick. I start these seeds inside later this month.

I'm a box gardener. I should have set up my cold frame last fall, but it was a busy year. I did the year before and was eating salad at this time. I'm planning on making some cheap cold frames this weekend. I usually plant all the boxes with cool season crops in March. Two years ago I planted the box with the cold frame in early November. The frame only covered half the box. The part under the frame was amazing. I'm sold.

Are you planning on buying or building a cold frame? The one I made two years ago was built of 3/8" rebar, a half cattle fence panel and some plastic. Total cost was around $20. The plastic blew off in a late April windstorm, but the device had already done its job. This year I plan a similar style - hoops of pencil rod and another piece of cattle fence panel all covered in plastic. I hope to set up 4 this year. My fingers are crossed for a sunny weekend.
Gary