Arizona vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Arizona, the average last spring frost is January 5 in Phoenix and January 20 in Tucson (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Phoenix and Tucson for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Arizona, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Phoenix
When to plant tomatoes in Phoenix?
In Phoenix, Arizona, the average last spring frost is January 5 and the average first frost of winter is January 3 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL AP station, 6.7 km from ZIP 85004). Planting dates here follow the planting table for Maricopa County from University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, not frost dates. For tomatoes, plant out seedlings February 15 to March 31 or July 15 to August 14. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 20, 2026.
Frost dates for Phoenix (85004)
- Last spring frost: Jan 5 on average, Jan 22 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First frost of winter: Jan 3 on average, Dec 18 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 10a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Sep 15 to Mar 14 |
| Broccoli | Plant outdoors: Aug 15 to Jan 31 |
| Cabbage | Plant outdoors: Aug 15 to Jan 31 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Aug 1 to Apr 30 |
| Cauliflower | Plant outdoors: Aug 15 to Jan 31 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Feb 15 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Aug 15 to Sep 30 |
| Eggplant | Plant out seedlings: Mar 1 to Mar 31 |
| Green onion | Sow outdoors: Aug 1 to Apr 30 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Aug 15 to Dec 31 |
| Lettuce | Plant outdoors: Aug 15 to Feb 28 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Feb 15 to Jul 14 |
| Okra | Sow outdoors: Feb 15 to Apr 30 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Jan 1 to Feb 14 Plant outdoors: Oct 1 to Dec 31 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Jan 1 to Feb 28 Sow outdoors: Sep 15 to Dec 14 |
| Pepper | Plant out seedlings: Feb 15 to Mar 31 Plant out seedlings: Jul 1 to Jul 31 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Jan 1 to Mar 14 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Mar 15 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Jul 15 to Sep 14 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Sep 1 to Feb 28 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Feb 15 to Apr 14 Sow outdoors: Aug 15 to Sep 14 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Feb 15 to Apr 14 Sow outdoors: Jul 15 to Aug 31 |
| Sweet potato | Plant out slips: Mar 1 to Jun 30 |
| Tomato | Plant out seedlings: Feb 15 to Mar 31 Plant out seedlings: Jul 15 to Aug 14 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Mar 31 Sow outdoors: Jul 1 to Aug 14 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Feb 15 to May 31 |
| Cilantro | Plant outdoors: Feb 1 to Apr 30 Plant outdoors: Oct 1 to Nov 30 |
| Dill | Plant outdoors: Feb 1 to Apr 30 Plant outdoors: Oct 1 to Nov 30 |
| Parsley | Plant outdoors: Feb 1 to Apr 30 Plant outdoors: Oct 1 to Nov 30 |
Tucson
When to plant tomatoes in Tucson?
In Tucson, Arizona, the average last spring frost is January 20 and the average first fall frost is December 17 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, TUCSON WFO station, 2.1 km from ZIP 85701). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors December 25 to March 2 and plant out seedlings February 10 to September 18, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Utah State University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Tucson (85701)
- Last spring frost: Jan 20 on average, Feb 18 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Dec 17 on average, Nov 28 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 9b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Jan 13 to Oct 18 Sow outdoors for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Dec 4 to Jan 10 Plant out seedlings: Jan 7 to Jan 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Nov 27 to Dec 24 Plant out seedlings: Jan 7 to Jan 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Jan 13 to Sep 28 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Dec 11 to Jan 10 Plant out seedlings: Jan 13 to Sep 18 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 17 to Sep 16 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Jan 27 to Oct 8 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Jan 11 to Feb 9 Plant out seedlings: Feb 10 to Sep 18 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Jan 7 to Jan 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Jan 7 to Jan 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Jan 13 to Sep 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Feb 10 to Sep 8 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Mar 4 to Oct 13 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Jan 7 to Jan 21 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Jan 7 to Jan 21 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Dec 25 to Jan 24 Plant out seedlings: Feb 10 to Sep 18 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Jan 13 to Sep 8 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Jan 27 to Oct 18 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Jan 7 to Jan 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Oct 3 to Oct 31 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Jan 27 to Oct 18 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Jan 27 to Sep 18 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Jan 25 to Feb 23 Plant out slips: Mar 4 to Aug 9 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Dec 25 to Mar 2 Plant out seedlings: Feb 10 to Sep 18 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Feb 10 to Sep 8 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Feb 23 to May 25 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Nov 26 to Jan 23 Sow outdoors for fall: Oct 25 to Nov 8 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Jan 8 to Jan 23 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 9 to Oct 24 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Jan 13 to Sep 18 Plant outdoors for fall: Sep 9 to Nov 8 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Growing Herbs in Tucson (Herb Planting Calendar for Tucson) (AZ2061). Checked October 21, 2026.
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
- Utah State University Extension, Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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