Frost dates for El Rito, 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
May 15
typical year
Safe to plant
June 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 7
typical year
Growing season
143 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 | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 17 – May 29 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Onions | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jul 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Cabbage | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 26 – Sep 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 9 – 23 | Jun 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 2 – 16 | Jun 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 4 – Jul 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 4 – Jul 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 4 – Jul 2 | – |
| Basil | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jun 11 – 18 | – |
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 4 | May 15 | April 30 |
| Fall frost before | September 23 | October 7 | October 18 |
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 2 (May 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 15.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station EL RITO, NM US (USC00292820), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
87530, 87539, 87549, 87581
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.