Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 81024 — Boncarbo, CO

ZIP code 81024 (Boncarbo, Las Animas County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is May 11 and the first fall frost October 4.

Where ZIP 81024 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostMay 11
First frostOct 4
2012 zone6a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Boncarbo, CO…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Boncarbo, CO

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 11median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 25only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 4median — 10% chance by Sep 22
Growing season145 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 30 and returns around October 14.

From the NOAA station Trinidad Lake, CO — 10 miles away, elevation 6,309 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 81024

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 20
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 20 – May 4
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
TomatoesTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 25 – Jun 8
BeansSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 9 – Aug 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 20 – Oct 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 11) and first fall frost (Oct 4) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 81024 came on Mar 1 — 28 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 6a in Colorado

563 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Colorado, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 28

American elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbalsam poplar80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −79 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblack walnut100 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fblack willow100 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −58 °Fblue spruce100 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Shrubs 104

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Falpine laurel1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °FApache plume6 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 251

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine aster0.3 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican bistort1.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 167

Alaska oniongrass3 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Falkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAlpine Meadow-Foxtail0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Fanalogue sedge1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 4

riverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °Fwestern white clematis1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Boncarbo, CO.

Soil in Boncarbo, CO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 81024 is Gulnare — slightly decomposed plant material, well drained.

TextureSlightly decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter85%high
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Gulnare-Allens Park complex, 5 to 35 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 81024; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Boncarbo, CO

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days28days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights179nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,499base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 44 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 36 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation19 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 48 °F, low 15 °F 48°15° JanFebruary: average high 50 °F, low 18 °F 50°18° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 24 °F 57°24° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 31 °F 63°31° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 40 °F 72°40° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 50 °F 83°50° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 54 °F 87°54° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 53 °F 84°53° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 45 °F 79°45° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 33 °F 67°33° OctNovember: average high 56 °F, low 24 °F 56°24° NovDecember: average high 48 °F, low 16 °F 48°16° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.75 in precipitation 0.8 JanFebruary: 0.81 in precipitation 0.8 FebMarch: 1.74 in precipitation 1.7 MarApril: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 AprMay: 2.02 in precipitation 2.0 MayJune: 1.36 in precipitation 1.4 JunJuly: 3.10 in precipitation 3.1 JulAugust: 3.02 in precipitation 3.0 AugSeptember: 1.21 in precipitation 1.2 SepOctober: 1.25 in precipitation 1.3 OctNovember: 0.75 in precipitation 0.8 NovDecember: 1.06 in precipitation 1.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Trinidad Lake, CO (10 mi away); precipitation: Aguilar 7.2 Wsw, CO (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6a.

810916a
Weston, CO · 15 mi
810826a
Trinidad, CO · 17 mi
810206a
Aguilar, CO · 17 mi
810466a
Hoehne, CO · 19 mi
810556a
La Veta, CO · 25 mi
810896a
Walsenburg, CO · 28 mi
810816a
Trinchera, CO · 33 mi
877406a
Raton, NM · 37 mi

Colorado planting zones →

Questions about 81024

What planting zone is ZIP code 81024?

ZIP code 81024 (Boncarbo, CO) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Boncarbo, CO?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 81024 is May 11; after May 25 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Trinidad Lake station.

When is the first frost in Boncarbo, CO?

The median first fall frost near 81024 is October 4, giving a median frost-free growing season of 145 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 81024?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 16 – Mar 30 and set transplants outside around May 18 – Jun 1, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 81024 get?

About 19 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Aguilar 7.2 Wsw station).

How hot do summers get in Boncarbo, CO?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in July, with about 28 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 81024 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Gulnare at the center of ZIP 81024: slightly decomposed plant material, well drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Boncarbo, CO in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 81024 came on Mar 1 in 2026, 28 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Boncarbo, CO?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 81024 is 14 h 44 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.