When to plant in New Mexico
Most of New Mexico sees its last spring frost between Mar 28 and May 29, and its first fall frost between Sep 27 and Nov 8. The middle of the state is around April 29 and October 17: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in New Mexico: 5b (4%), 6a (15%), 6b (16%), 7a (22%), 7b (25%), 8a (13%), 8b (5%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 25 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 22 – Oct 14 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 11 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 27 – Oct 17 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 7 – Aug 25 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 2 – Sep 10 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 13 – May 27 | Aug 16 – Sep 20 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 7 – Aug 18 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 17 – Jun 21 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 27 – Aug 24 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 16 – Jun 27 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | Sep 7 – Sep 21 |
| Kale | Feb 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 26 – Aug 18 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Broccoli | Feb 25 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 7 – Jul 12 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | Jun 10 – Jul 15 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 17 – Jul 29 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Beet | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 2 – Jul 14 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Radish | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Apr 19 – May 17 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Jul 3 – Aug 7 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 10 – Oct 31 (fall) | Jun 24 – Jul 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jul 7 – Aug 11 | — |
| Sweet potato | Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 13 – Sep 17 | — |
| Basil | Apr 1 | May 13 – May 27 | Jun 12 – Sep 18 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 27 – Jun 24 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 13 – May 27 | Aug 1 – Sep 5 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in New Mexico. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around New Mexico
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 7b | Apr 18 | Oct 24 |
| Santa Fe | 6b | May 4 | Oct 15 |
| Las Cruces | 8b | Mar 12 | Nov 13 |
| Hobbs | 8a | Mar 28 | Nov 10 |
| Farmington | 7a | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Gallup | 6a | May 31 | Sep 28 |
| Roswell | 7b | Apr 13 | Oct 30 |
| Alamogordo | 8a | May 18 | Nov 18 |
| Artesia | 8a | Apr 11 | Oct 29 |
| Carlsbad | 8a | Mar 27 | Nov 7 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.