Frost dates for Thoreau, 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 29
typical year
Safe to plant
June 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 26
typical year
Growing season
118 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 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | May 1 – 22 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | May 1 – Jun 12 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | May 8 – 29 | Jul 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | May 1 – 15 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Kale | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Broccoli | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – 29 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 15 – Sep 5 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 10 – 24 | Jun 19 – Jul 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 12 – Jul 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 12 – Jul 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 12 – Jul 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 12 – Jul 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 12 – Jul 10 | – |
| Basil | May 8 – 22 | Jun 19 – 26 | – |
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 12 | May 29 | May 11 |
| Fall frost before | September 13 | September 26 | October 6 |
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 15 (June 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 3.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station THOREAU 12 SE, NM US (USC00298834), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
87005, 87045, 87323, 87365
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.