When to plant lavender in Denver, Colorado

April 30 – May 14

Transplant outdoors · typical Denver year

Climate basis: NOAA station Denver Water Dept, CO (USC00052223), 2 mi (3 km) from downtown Denver (ZCTA 80202 centroid), elevation 5228 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 30). One year in ten still freezes after May 13.

Last spring freezeApril 301-in-10 after May 13
First fall freezeOctober 121-in-10 before Sep 28
Frost-free season165 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 18Oct 21kills even hardy greens
USDA zone6a-10 to -5°F winter low not frost timing

The Denver year

Transplant outdoorsApr 30 – May 14
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 13
Lavender in Denver · freeze context from Denver Water Dept, CO, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Apr 30 – May 14

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 30). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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