Frost dates & planting calendar for Phoenix, AZ
Frost dates
Jan 8
Last spring frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, the last frost comes later.
Safer date: Feb 12. Only 1 freeze year in 10 has a frost after this.
Dec 25
First fall frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, it comes earlier.
Early date: Dec 5. Only 1 freeze year in 10 freezes before this.
354
Days, typical frost-free season
From NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for this station.
9b
USDA hardiness zone
Coldest night of the winter, averaged over 1991–2020: 25 to 30°F (−3.9 to −1.1°C).
Zone for ZIP 85021, the ZIP nearest the city center; zones can vary within a city. What zone 9b means.
A 32°F freeze happens in about 70% of years here. These dates describe the years that do freeze; in the other years there is no frost at all.
What to plant right now
As of Nov 9, 2026
Now
Nothing to sow or plant out. Here is what opens next.
Start indoors from Dec 4
Pepper, Parsley, Tomato (from Dec 18), Eggplant (from Dec 18), Broccoli (from Dec 18), Cabbage (from Dec 18), Cauliflower (from Dec 18), Brussels sprouts (from Dec 18), Marigold (from Dec 18), Calendula (from Dec 18) and Mexican sunflower (from Dec 18).
Typical frost-free season: 354 days. Station: Phoenix Deer Valley Muni Airport, AZ, 13 km away. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (32°F threshold).
Hardiness zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 9 Nov 2026.
Can I plant tomatoes now?
Not yet. Start tomato seeds indoors from Dec 18 to Jan 1, then plant them out from Feb 12 to Feb 26.
Planting calendar
Windows are counted from the safer dates (Feb 12 in spring, Dec 5 in fall). Going by the typical dates instead gains you about 5 weeks in spring, with more risk.
Coming up
A window opens in the next six weeks.
Peppertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 4
- Start indoors
- Dec 4 – Dec 18
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 26
Parsleyhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 4
- Start indoors
- Dec 4 – Dec 18
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
Tomatotender
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 26
Eggplanttender
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 26
Broccolihardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 15 – Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Cabbagehardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 15 – Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Cauliflowerhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 22 – Feb 12
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Brussels sproutshardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 22 – Jan 22
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Marigoldtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Dec 18
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Calendulahalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 5 – Feb 12
Mexican sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 18
- Start indoors
- Dec 18 – Jan 1
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
January
The next window opens in January.
Leaf lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 1 – Jan 29
Head lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 1
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 1 – Jan 29
Zinniatender
Next: start indoors from Jan 1
- Start indoors
- Jan 1 – Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Nasturtiumtender
Next: start indoors from Jan 1
- Start indoors
- Jan 1 – Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Jan 1
- Start indoors
- Jan 1 – Jan 15
Cucumbertender
Next: start indoors from Jan 15
- Start indoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 19
Summer squashtender
Next: start indoors from Jan 15
- Start indoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 19
Winter squashtender
Next: start indoors from Jan 15
- Start indoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 19 – Feb 26
Watermelontender
Next: start indoors from Jan 15
- Start indoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 19 – Feb 26
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 19 – Feb 26
Cantaloupetender
Next: start indoors from Jan 15
- Start indoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 22
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 19 – Feb 26
Peahardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Spinachhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Kohlrabihardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Radishhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Beethalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Feb 12
Turniphardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Bulb onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Green onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 15
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 15 – Jan 29
Kalehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 22
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 22 – Jan 22
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Collardshardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 22
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 22 – Jan 22
- Sow for fall
- Sep 12 – Sep 26
Swiss chardhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
Carrothalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
Potatohalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
Parsniphalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 12
Dillhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 29
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 29 – Feb 5
February
The next window opens in February.
Bush beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Pole beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Sweet corntender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Basiltender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 12
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Marjoramtender
Next: transplant outdoors from Feb 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 12 – Feb 12
Pumpkintender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 19
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 19 – Feb 26
Lima beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 26
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 26 – Feb 26
October
The next window opens in October.
Sweet alyssumhardy
Next: sow for fall from Oct 24
- Sow for fall
- Oct 24 – Oct 24
No window listed
No frost-based window for these crops.
Mustard greenshalf hardy
No frost-based window listed.
No frost-based sowing window is listed for mustard greens.
Crop guidance from university extension services; see each crop page for sources.
Questions
- When is the last frost in Phoenix?
- The typical last spring frost (32°F) in Phoenix is Jan 8. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, a frost still comes after Feb 12. A freeze happens in about 70% of years.
- When is the first frost in Phoenix?
- The typical first fall frost is Dec 25. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, it arrives before Dec 5.
- When should I start tomato seeds in Phoenix?
- Start tomato seeds indoors between Dec 18 and Jan 1, counting back from the safer last-frost date.
- What planting zone is Phoenix in?
- Phoenix is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map, going by ZIP 85021, the ZIP nearest the city center. Zones can vary within a city. The zone describes how cold winter nights get, not when to plant; for that, use the frost dates on this page.
Nearby cities
- Tucson, AZ 195 km
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