Frost dates for Chandler, AZ
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
February 13
typical year
Safe to plant
March 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 5
typical year
Growing season
298 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Jan 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 2 – 23 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 16 – Feb 27 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 16 – 30 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 16 – 30 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Cabbage | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Jan 16 – 30 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 24 – Nov 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 12 – 26 | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 9 – Sep 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | – |
| Basil | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 16 – 23 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 9 | February 13 | January 12 |
| Fall frost before | November 18 | December 5 | December 24 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around January 16 (February 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 19.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Chandler, Tempe, Guadalupe
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TEMPE ASU, AZ US (USC00028499), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 16 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
85201, 85202, 85203, 85204, 85210, 85224, 85225, 85226, 85233, 85251, 85256, 85257, 85281, 85282, 85283, 85284
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.