Frost dates for Clifton, 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 26
typical year
Safe to plant
March 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 23
typical year
Growing season
268 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 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 29 – Mar 12 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 5 – 19 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 5 – 26 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Beets | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – 26 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12 – Nov 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 15 – Sep 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Basil | Feb 8 – 22 | Mar 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | February 26 | February 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 10 | November 23 | December 6 |
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 February 5 (March 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 5.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Clifton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CLIFTON, AZ US (USC00021849), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 17 miles:
85533, 85540
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.