Ready to kickstart your spring garden? Be warned: Not every vegetable will thrive this time of year. Using Fort
Collins’ location within the 4A to 5B planting zones designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we can determine which crops are ready for the soil and which should start indoors. Here’s what you can do with some of the most popular garden veggies.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes remain a crowd-favorite garden veggie, but they’re not yet ready. Instead of planting them outdoors, start sowing them indoors about two months before the last frost is expected. This will make sure your seedlings are ready once winter subsides.

Carrots

Carrots love sunshine and cool soil, making them well-suited for planting in Colorado’s early to mid-March soil. Add fellow root veggies, like beets or radishes, to the garden if your carrots look lonely.

Potatoes

The Pennsylvania Dutch community believes that St. Gertrude’s Day, now recognized as St. Patrick’s Day, was the official potato-planting day. This idea has some merit, as mid-March provides perfect conditions for planting these cold-loving crops.

Peppers

Whoa, hold on! Peppers aren’t fans of cold soil, so refrain from planting them until the risk of frost has passed. Kickstart their growth indoors about eight weeks before the last frost date, then transfer them outside once nighttime temperatures consistently exceed 50 degrees.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the most eager vegetables out there. As soon as you can work the soil in March, you can sow these seeds directly outside – remember, if you can work it, you can grow it!