Frost dates for Dulce, 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
June 9
typical year
Safe to plant
June 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 22
typical year
Growing season
103 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 | – | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Lettuce | – | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Radishes | – | May 12 – Jun 23 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Onions | – | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 19 – Jun 9 | Jun 30 – Jul 14 |
| Beets | – | May 12 – 26 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – 26 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 26 – Jun 9 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Mar 17 – 31 | May 12 – 26 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 11 – Sep 1 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | May 2 – 16 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jul 4 – 18 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 27 – Jul 18 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 27 – Jul 25 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 27 – Jul 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 27 – Jul 25 | – |
| Basil | May 23 – Jun 6 | Jul 4 – 11 | – |
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 | June 27 | June 9 | May 25 |
| Fall frost before | September 10 | September 22 | October 1 |
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 May 23 (June 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 30.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Pagosa Springs, CO
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DULCE, NM US (USC00292608), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 25 miles:
81147, 87528
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.