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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
March 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 10
typical year
Growing season
303 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 28 – Jan 18 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 11 – Feb 1 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 11 – Feb 22 | Oct 29 – Nov 12 |
| Onions | – | Jan 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Beets | – | Jan 11 – 25 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Nov 30 – Dec 14 | Jan 11 – 25 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Nov 30 – Dec 14 | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Nov 16 – 30 | Jan 11 – 25 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 29 – Nov 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 8 – Oct 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | – |
| Basil | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 15 – 22 | – |
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 8 | February 8 | January 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 22 | December 10 | 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 20 (February 18 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 27.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TUCSON 11 W, AZ US (USW00053131), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 8 miles:
85757
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.