Frost dates for Albuquerque, NM
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
April 6
typical year
Safe to plant
April 23
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 3
typical year
Growing season
208 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 | – | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 9 – 30 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Onions | – | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Kale | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Broccoli | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Cabbage | Jan 12 – 26 | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 22 – Oct 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 23 – May 14 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 23 – May 21 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 23 – May 14 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 23 – Aug 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 23 – May 21 | – |
| Basil | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 7 | – |
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 | April 23 | April 6 | March 17 |
| Fall frost before | October 21 | November 3 | November 16 |
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 March 17 (April 7 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 15.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ALBUQUERQUE INTL AP, NM US (USW00023050), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 6 miles:
87102, 87106, 87108, 87116, 87117
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.