Frost dates for El Paso, TX
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
March 24
typical year
Safe to plant
April 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 11
typical year
Growing season
230 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 | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Onions | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 3 – 17 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 3 – 24 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Beets | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Jan 13 – 27 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 10 – 24 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 30 – Oct 21 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 10 – Sep 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 10 – May 8 | – |
| Basil | Mar 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – 24 | – |
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 10 | March 24 | February 27 |
| Fall frost before | October 23 | November 11 | November 28 |
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 4 (March 29 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 25.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station EL PASO 32 ENE, TX US (USC00412794), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
79928, 79938
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.