New Mexico vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In New Mexico, the average last spring frost is May 28 in Santa Fe and April 18 in Albuquerque (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Santa Fe and Albuquerque 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 New Mexico, 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.
Santa Fe
When to plant tomatoes in Santa Fe?
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the average last spring frost is May 28 and the average first fall frost is September 26 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, GASCON station, 41.7 km from ZIP 87501). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors May 2 to July 8 and plant out seedlings June 18 to June 28, 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 Santa Fe (87501)
- Last spring frost: May 28 on average, Jun 10 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Sep 26 on average, Sep 12 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jul 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Apr 11 to May 18 Plant out seedlings: Apr 29 to May 13 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Apr 4 to May 1 Plant out seedlings: Apr 29 to May 13 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jul 8 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Apr 18 to May 18 Plant out seedlings: May 21 to Jun 28 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Jun 4 to Jul 18 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: May 19 to Jun 17 Plant out seedlings: Jun 18 to Jun 28 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Apr 29 to May 13 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Apr 29 to May 13 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jul 8 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Jun 18 to Jun 18 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Jun 24 to Jul 23 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Apr 29 to May 13 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Apr 29 to May 13 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: May 2 to Jun 1 Plant out seedlings: Jun 18 to Jun 28 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: May 21 to Jun 18 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Jun 4 to Jul 28 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 29 to May 13 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 18 to Aug 15 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Jun 4 to Jul 28 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Jun 4 to Jun 28 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Jun 2 to Jul 1 Plant out slips: season too short |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: May 2 to Jul 8 Plant out seedlings: Jun 18 to Jun 28 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Jun 18 to Jun 18 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: Jul 1 to Sep 30 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to May 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 4 to Aug 18 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: May 16 to May 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Jun 19 to Aug 3 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: May 21 to Jun 28 Plant outdoors for fall: Jun 19 to Aug 18 |
Albuquerque
When to plant tomatoes in Albuquerque?
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the average last spring frost is April 18 and the average first fall frost is October 24 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY station, 8 km from ZIP 87102). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 23 to May 29 and plant out seedlings May 9 to July 26, 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 Albuquerque (87102)
- Last spring frost: Apr 18 on average, May 3 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 24 on average, Oct 13 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Aug 25 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Mar 2 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 23 to Mar 22 Plant out seedlings: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Aug 5 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 9 to Apr 8 Plant out seedlings: Apr 11 to Jul 26 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 24 to Jul 24 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 15 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 9 to May 8 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 26 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Aug 5 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Jul 16 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 17 to Aug 20 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 22 to Apr 5 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 23 to Apr 22 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 26 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 11 to Jul 16 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 25 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 25 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Jul 26 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 23 to May 22 Plant out slips: May 17 to Jun 16 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 23 to May 29 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 26 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Jul 16 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 22 to Aug 21 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 22 to Apr 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 1 to Sep 15 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 6 to Apr 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 17 to Aug 31 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Jul 26 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 17 to Sep 15 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Utah State University Extension, Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah. Checked October 20, 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.
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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