Frost dates for Maricopa, 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 23
typical year
Safe to plant
March 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 24
typical year
Growing season
274 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 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 26 – Mar 9 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Onions | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Beets | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Kale | Dec 15 – 29 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Broccoli | Dec 15 – 29 | Feb 9 – 23 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Cabbage | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 13 – Nov 3 |
| 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 15 | – |
| 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 23 | January 29 |
| Fall frost before | November 10 | November 24 | December 8 |
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 2 (February 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 6.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Maricopa
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MARICOPA 4 N, AZ US (USC00025270), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 17 miles:
85121, 85138, 85139
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.