When to plant rhubarb in Cheyenne, Wyoming

April 2 – April 16

Transplant outdoors · typical Cheyenne year

Climate basis: NOAA station Cheyenne Wfo, WY (USC00481676), 7 mi (12 km) from downtown Cheyenne (ZCTA 82001 centroid), elevation 6119 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant rhubarb outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (May 14). One year in ten still freezes after May 28.

Last spring freezeMay 141-in-10 after May 28
First fall freezeOctober 11-in-10 before Sep 17
Frost-free season139 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°May 3Oct 10kills even hardy greens
USDA zone5b-15 to -10°F winter low not frost timing

The Cheyenne year

Transplant outdoorsApr 2 – Apr 16
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 28
Rhubarb in Cheyenne · freeze context from Cheyenne Wfo, WY, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Apr 2 – Apr 16

Purdue Extension HO-186-W Table 1 lists rhubarb in the group headed "Hardy (tolerates hard frost)" with the instruction "plant 4-6 weeks before last spring frost (see Figure 1)" and footnotes it as typically vegetatively propagated, so the source's own 4-6 week range is used directly as the window for setting out dormant crowns rather than seed; the University of Minnesota rhubarb guide was re-checked and anchors only indoor seed starting to the last frost, so it supplied no competing crown-planting date to reconcile against. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (May 14). Purdue University Extension, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

Rhubarb is planted from crowns or divisions, and although the Minnesota guide does say to start seed indoors six weeks before the last frost, seed-grown plants push the first harvest to the third season and are not the planting path this window times.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Purdue Table 1 footnotes rhubarb as typically vegetatively propagated and publishes no separate direct-seeding date for it.

Fall planting

Not calculated

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

Variety assumption: A long-lived perennial planted from crowns or divisions: Minnesota advises waiting until the second season before harvesting (the third season if started from seed), with the harvest season running until the end of June.

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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