Soilclock

Colorado 50°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 6 Colorado cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Colorado cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Colorado spans cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Denver 49°52° +3°−2° Apr 11 – May 10 Oct 18
Colorado Springs 49°51° +3°−3° Apr 12 – May 7 Oct 16
Fort Collins 51°53° +5°±0° Apr 8 – May 5 Oct 17
Pueblo 52°54° +5°−3° Apr 5 – Apr 23 Oct 22
Castle Rock 49°51° +3°−3° Apr 13 – May 11 Oct 16
Grand Junction 50°52° +3°−2° Apr 6 – Apr 26 Oct 24

When to apply pre-emergent in Colorado

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Colorado that has typically happened first in Pueblo, around Apr 5, and last in Castle Rock, around Apr 13. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Colorado

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Colorado lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states