Frost dates for Yuma Proving Ground, 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
January 4
typical year
Safe to plant
February 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 25
typical year
Growing season
361 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 | – | Dec 7 – 21 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 23 – Dec 14 | Oct 30 – Nov 13 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 7 – 28 | Oct 30 – Nov 13 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 7 – Jan 18 | Nov 13 – 27 |
| Onions | – | Dec 7 – 21 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 14 – 28 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 14 – Jan 4 | Oct 2 – 16 |
| Beets | – | Dec 7 – 21 | Oct 16 – 30 |
| Kale | Oct 26 – Nov 9 | Dec 7 – 21 | Oct 16 – 30 |
| Broccoli | Oct 26 – Nov 9 | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Oct 16 – 30 |
| Cabbage | Oct 12 – 26 | Dec 7 – 21 | Oct 16 – 30 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 13 – Dec 4 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 15 – 29 | Feb 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 8 – 22 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 9 – Oct 16 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | – |
| Basil | Jan 5 – 19 | Feb 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 | February 9 | January 4 | December 11 |
| Fall frost before | December 3 | December 25 | January 25 |
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 9 (February 13 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 9.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station YUMA PROVING GROUND, AZ US (USW00003125), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 12 miles:
85367
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.