What Grows in Rollinsville, Colorado

USDA Zones 6a-7b · 904 acres

Rollinsville, Colorado, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

Among the crops suited to this profile: colorado blue spruce, tomato, penstemon, and apple. The site-level story — soil, sun, drainage — decides the rest.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Rollinsville, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Rollinsville lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

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Quick Facts

USDA Zones

6a-7b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

May 12

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Oct 11

Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

Town Area

904 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

6a
7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Rollinsville. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Rollinsville?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Apr 14; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near May 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 11 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.

Growing Challenges in Colorado

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Low annual rainfall (7-20 inches) means irrigation is essential nearly everywhere

Build the irrigation first — drip plus mulch makes a high-desert garden run on remarkably little water.

High altitude UV and temperature swings stress plants

Harden transplants gradually, shade-cloth their first high-sun week, and keep row covers handy for cold nights.

Very short growing season at elevation (60-90 frost-free days above 8,000 ft)

Above 8,000 feet, count your real frost-free days and choose varieties bred to finish inside them.

Alkaline soils (pH 7.5-8.5) limit acid-loving plants without amendment

A soil test tells you your actual pH — grow acid-lovers in containers of amended mix while the native ground grows everything else.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Colorado, the Colorado State University Extension is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

384

within ~10 miles of Rollinsville

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

5 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Rollinsville

High248Moderate105Low31

Highest-Severity Sites

After Supper
Mining Sites · Past Producer
Alps & Delmonico Group
Mining Sites · Past Producer
Alps-Olympia
Mining Sites · Past Producer
Anchor
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Anchor
Mining Sites · Past Producer

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Rollinsville, two things run higher than the national average — Mining (268 sites) and Superfund (5 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.

Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.

Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.

Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Rollinsville

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Rollinsville Average

  • USDA Zones 6a-7b
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Rollinsville

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Rollinsville, Colorado — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Rollinsville, Colorado

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): May 12 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 11 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~152 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 904 acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Rollinsville, Colorado?

Rollinsville sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

Is it too late to plant in Rollinsville?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Apr 14; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near May 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 11 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.

When does frost risk typically end in Rollinsville?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Rollinsville typically lands around May 12, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.

When is the first frost in Rollinsville?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in Rollinsville typically arrives around Oct 11, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point most tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts usually reach a couple of weeks earlier, so watch the forecast from late summer on and harvest or cover tender plants before the first cold night.

What vegetables grow in Rollinsville?

Rollinsville's zones 6a-7b support a wide range — strong performers include Colorado Blue Spruce, Tomato, Penstemon, Apple, and Peach. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Rollinsville, really?

Officially, Rollinsville sits in USDA zones 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Rollinsville?

The federal record around Rollinsville runs heavier than most — 384 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Rollinsville?

As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Oct 11 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Rollinsville average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.