Frost dates for El Vado Dam, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
July 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 18
typical year
Growing season
94 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 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | May 2 – 23 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Lettuce | – | May 16 – Jun 6 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Radishes | – | May 16 – Jun 27 | Aug 7 – 21 |
| Onions | – | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 23 – Jun 13 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| Beets | – | May 16 – 30 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Kale | Apr 4 – 18 | May 16 – 30 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Broccoli | Apr 4 – 18 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Cabbage | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – 30 | Jul 10 – 24 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 7 – 28 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | May 6 – 20 | Jul 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | – | Jul 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jul 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jul 1 – 10 | – |
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 8 – 15 | – |
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 | July 1 | June 13 | May 31 |
| Fall frost before | September 5 | September 18 | September 29 |
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 28 (June 15 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 26.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station EL VADO DAM, NM US (USC00292837), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
87518, 87575
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.