The last frost date for the Denver is May 4, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. Generally across the Front Range, you can count on closer to Mother’s Day weekend to begin warm-weather garden planting.
Here are some May plant sales for Denver gardeners who want to prioritize locally grown, regionally adapted plants that support local organizations, nonprofits, or green-thumb individuals. At many of these sales, you can learn more about gardening practices and cool organizations and folks who grow. Happy planting!
Organizations and nonprofit plant sales
• Denver Botanic Gardens annual Spring Plant Sale, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 10-11
Location: York Street Location, 1007 York St., Denver
The popular annual plant sale at the Botanic Gardens will give gardeners access to plants that perform well in the changing climate. It boasts many species that are not available at private nurseries and big box stores. Admission is free, but reservations are required and open now. If reservations are full, remember that a Garden membership will give you the ability to reserve ahead of the public next season. Learn more at botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/spring-plant-sale.
• Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) Spring Plant Sale, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10-11
Location: 1031 33rd St., Denver
DUG has supported Denver residents with food-producing community gardens for more than 35 years. DUG’s plant sale is about more than buying organic flowers, herb and vegetable seedlings, hanging baskets, fruit trees, straw, and Denver’s own A1 EcoGro compost. It is also about education on gardening, tree care, and composting. The event’s annual Sustainability Swap lets gardeners drop off or bring home gently loved tools. Learn more at dug.org/event/spring-plant-sale-1.
• Growing Gardens Community Plant Sale, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19
Location: Hawthorn Farm, 1630 Hawthorn Ave., Boulder
Growing Gardens’ 24th annual community sale takes place over a few weekends. The organization’s sale is unique and special to the Front Range as its plant varieties are organically grown and bee-safe (neonicotinoid free). All of its sales benefit its sustainable urban agriculture education programs. A list of the 2024 plants available is on its website. Learn more at growinggardens.org/event/community-plant-sale-weekend-1.
Lavender seedlings (Tamara Yakaboski for the Denver Post)
• EarthLinks Spring Plant and Garden Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11
Location: 2746 W. 13th Ave., Denver
EarthLinks supports folks who are unhoused and low-income through its Earth-centered program by paying them for weekly work, including seed planting. EarthLinks grows organically from pollinator-friendly, bio-regional, and open pollinated seed sources. It will have herbs, vegetables, trees, and flowers as well as houseplants and handcrafted coffee and teas available for purchase. A list of the 2024 plants available is on its website. Learn more at earthlinks-colorado.org/mothers-day-plant-sale.
• CSU Denver Master Gardener Plant Sale, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 18 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 19
Location: CSU Denver Extension office in Harvard Gulch Park, 888 E. Iliff Ave., Denver
This sale is a fundraiser for the master gardener program through Denver County Extension. There will be a selection of native plants, New Mexico chiles, herbs, tomatoes, and vegetables for purchase. Learn more at denver.extension.colostate.edu/upcoming-events.
• Gardens on Spring Creek Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 18 and 19
Location: 2145 Centre Ave., Fort Collins
Worth a drive up I-25, Gardens on Spring Creek’s Plant Sale will have more 35,000 locally grown native and regionally appropriate annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables and hanging baskets. Admission is free but reservations are required to manage capacity and shopping demands. The sale is open to the public and membership is not required to shop. Learn more at fcgov.com/gardens/spring-plant-sale.
• Warren Tech’s Annual Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 9-11
Location: Acres at Warren Tech, 13300 W. 2nd Place, Lakewood
This plant sale supports the horticulture program at Warren Tech, the designated career and technical education center for Jeffco Public Schools. All the plants are grown by horticulture students on the campus’s urban Acres farm. Learn more at acreswarrentech.org/what-s-going-on.
Rare and unique sales
• High Plains Environmental Center 2024 Online Native Plant Sale
All plants are grown by High Plains Environmental Center. The sales support their programs as a nonprofit educational center focused on Colorado plants and promoting water conservation and native pollinators. The High Plains Environmental Center has no in-person sale. Order online for pickup throughout its plant season that started April 1 with varying availability. Learn more at high-plains-environmental-center.square.site.
Black krim tomato seedlings (Tamara Yakaboski for the Denver Post)
• Twine and Trellis Rare Tomato and Plant Sale, preorder pickup on May 16; in-person sales from 9 a.m. to noon May 17, 18, 24, 25
Location: For directions connect directly at instagram.com/twineandtrellis/
Heide Dolan of Twine and Trellis grows tomatoes of every color, shape and size. As a trial grower with the Dwarf Tomato Project, she has the most Dwarf tomato varieties available. For 2024, she has more than 90 rare tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers with seeds from 16 countries represented. The presale started April 15. Dolan sells in the Cherry Creek area. Request a presale list at instagram.com/p/C5yrHwAuVKY.
• RitualCravt’s 9th Annual Spring Plant Sale with Oak and Hawthorn, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 18 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 19
Location: 7700 W 44th Ave, Wheat Ridge
RitualCravt in Wheat Ridge hosts Oak and Hawthorn for its annual plant sale of medicinal, rare, and witchy plants. Michelle VanderHouwen of Oak and Hawthorn will be joined this year by Marla Alexander of @RootsMedicineGarden, and Stephen Cochenour and the horticulture team at Warren Tech. Learn more at ritualcravt.com/product/9th-annual-spring-plant-sale-with-oak-and-hawthorn-may-18th-19th-2024.