When to Start Planting – Northern Utah
Author – Shawn Olsen
With the weather warming up, it’s time to start planning for the upcoming growing season. While each location has its own unique weather conditions, here are some tips for planting along the Wasatch Front.
The average date of the last spring frost will vary with location and elevation. Listed below are the 30-year average last frost dates for various cities.
City Average Last Frost*
Bountiful – Val Verda, April 17
Farmington, May 5
Midvale, May 13
Ogden, May 3
Provo – Airport, May 21
Provo – BYU, May 1
Salt Lake City – Airport, April 26
Salt Lake City – U of U, May 1
Salt Lake County – Cottonwood Weir, April 30
Tooele, May 7
Tremonton, May 3
*For more information on freeze dates and Utah’s climate, go to http://climate.usu.edu/
Hardy plants like rhubarb, broccoli, cabbage and peas can be planted as soon as the soil dries out in the spring.
Group A: Hardy
Average Planting Date: March 15 – May 1
Artichoke
Kohlrabi
Asparagus
Onion
Rhubarb
Broccoli
Peas
Spinach
Cabbage
Radish
Turnip
Group B: Semi-Hardy
Plant a week or two after “A” group or about two weeks before average last spring frost.
Average Planting Date: March 20 – May 1
Beet
Lettuce
Potato
Carrot
Parsley
Salsify
Cauliflower
Parsnip
Swiss chard
Endive
Tender plants like summer squash, cucumbers and sweet corn can be planted around the average date of the last spring frost, about when first apples reach full bloom.
Group C: Tender
Average Planting Date: May 5 – June 1
Celery
Spinach
Cucumber
Summer squash
Dry beans
Sweet corn
Snap beans
Group D: Very Tender
Plant when the soil is warm, about two weeks after “C” group.
Average Planting Date: May 20 – June 10
Cantaloupe
Pumpkin
Eggplant
Tomato
Lima beans
Watermelon
Pepper
Winter squash
Want all this information in an easy, printable list? Download it here.
Interested in a user-friendly, 100+ page guide to successful vegetable and fruit production in Utah? Check out “A Guide to Common Gardening Questions” at: extension.cart.usu.edu.
Shawn Olsen is an Extension professor with Utah State University Extension in Davis County. He has recently co-authored two books on growing fruits and vegetables in Utah gardens.
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11 Comments
Ralph Robinson
April 28, 2014Do you have a planting chart for southern Utah ? (Parowan)
livewellutah
April 29, 2014You might try searching around this link. http://extension.usu.edu/washington/
Shawn Olsen
May 22, 2014For Parowan/Cedar City, group A around April 1, group B around April 15, group C around May 20, and group D around June 1.
Best Vegetables for the Wastach Front | Home
May 28, 2014[…] planted yet? It’s not too late. Check out our “When to Plant” guide posted earlier this year. Be sure to pin it so you can reference it next year and be ahead of the […]
Brandon
February 1, 2017When should I start planting my starts indoors such as tomatoes and peppers?
livewellutah
February 1, 2017Hi Brandon, we have a seed starting class coming up on February 22 at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville that would be a good one to check out. You can also read this fact sheet for information on starting seeds (including when to start them): https://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/Horticulture_HomeHorticulture_2011-01pr.pdf
Mike
March 15, 2017So with information above on when to plant. Does that mean seeds or your starts? For example group B says to plant 2 weeks before the last frost. Does that mean the seeds or your starts? Thank you.
livewellutah
March 17, 2017Hi Mike, this post is about when to sow seeds directly into the ground. For information on starting seeds indoors (including transplant dates, which would apply to store-bought starts as well), check out this fact sheet: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1827&context=extension_curall
Marina Bagnes Gibbs
February 2, 2018What about bell peppers? I see that “pepper” is in group D, the extremely tender plants. But does that mean peppers, including bell peppers? Or does it refer to a peppercorn plant?
livewellutah
February 8, 2018Hi Marina, great questions! Here “pepper” refers to bell or hot pepper plants. If you have more questions, feel free to contact your local Extension office and speak to a horticulturist!
Emelie
April 19, 2019when is the best time to plant berries in northern Utah?