Frost dates for Yuma, 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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
February 19
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 28
typical year
Growing season
362 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 27 – Dec 18 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 11 – Jan 1 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 11 – Jan 22 | Nov 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Dec 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 18 – Jan 8 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Dec 11 – 25 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Kale | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Dec 11 – 25 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Broccoli | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Cabbage | Oct 16 – 30 | Dec 11 – 25 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 16 – Dec 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 19 – Oct 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | – |
| Basil | Jan 15 – 29 | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | – |
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 19 | January 8 | December 17 |
| Fall frost before | December 11 | December 28 | February 7 |
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 1 (February 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 31.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Yuma, San Luis, Somerton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station YUMA QUARTERMASTER DEPOT, AZ US (USC00029656), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
85336, 85349, 85350, 85364, 92222, 92283
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.