Frost dates for Tucson, 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 5
typical year
Safe to plant
March 2
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 9
typical year
Growing season
307 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 8 – 22 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Onions | – | Jan 8 – 22 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Kale | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Broccoli | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Cabbage | Nov 13 – 27 | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 28 – Nov 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 2 – 16 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 2 – 23 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 2 – 30 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 2 – 23 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 2 – Sep 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 2 – 30 | – |
| Basil | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – 16 | – |
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 2 | February 5 | January 4 |
| Fall frost before | November 21 | December 9 | January 3 |
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 11 (February 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 26.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Tucson
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TUCSON INTL AP, AZ US (USW00023160), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
85706, 85708, 85709, 85714, 85734, 85746, 85756
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.