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New Mexico frost dates
Across the 19New Mexico weather stations below, the average last spring frost ranges from Mar 18 in Columbus to Jun 10 in Los Alamos 13 W. The statewide middle is about Apr 27 for the last spring frost and Oct 17 for the first fall frost. Columbus has the longest growing season, about 238 days. Hardiness zones in these places: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a.
Frost dates by city
| Place | Zone | Last spring frost | 90% safe after | First fall frost | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 8a | Mar 18 | Apr 6 | Nov 11 | 238 |
| Truth Or Consequence | 8a | Mar 22 | Apr 10 | Nov 9 | 232 |
| Carlsbad Cavern | 8a | Mar 27 | Apr 13 | Nov 7 | 225 |
| Roswell Ind Air Pk | 7b | Mar 29 | Apr 15 | Nov 7 | 223 |
| Deming | 8a | Apr 5 | Apr 24 | Nov 5 | 214 |
| Albuquerque | 8a | Apr 6 | Apr 23 | Nov 3 | 211 |
| Socorro 20 N | 7b | Apr 12 | Apr 29 | Oct 27 | 198 |
| Tucumcari | 7a | Apr 18 | May 1 | Oct 26 | 191 |
| Las Cruces 20 N | 7b | Apr 24 | May 8 | Oct 24 | 183 |
| Clayton Air Pk | 6b | Apr 27 | May 10 | Oct 17 | 173 |
| Farmington | 7a | May 2 | May 18 | Oct 13 | 164 |
| Clines Corners | 6b | May 4 | May 18 | Oct 12 | 161 |
| Santa Fe | 7a | May 4 | May 17 | Oct 15 | 164 |
| Las Vegas | 6b | May 10 | May 23 | Oct 7 | 150 |
| Raton Crews | 6a | May 11 | May 24 | Oct 4 | 146 |
| Grants Milan | 6a | May 24 | Jun 9 | Oct 1 | 130 |
| Zuni | 6a | May 29 | Jun 13 | Oct 2 | 126 |
| Gallup | 6a | May 31 | Jun 14 | Sep 28 | 120 |
| Los Alamos 13 W | 6b | Jun 10 | Jun 24 | Sep 13 | 95 |
Dates are the 50% probability of a 32°F freeze (NOAA 1991–2020 normals); "90% safe after" is the date after which a later spring freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.
When to plant in New Mexico
Using the statewide middle dates (last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 17). Adjust for your town with the table above or the planting calendar.
| Plant | When to plant in New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | May 4 – May 18 |
| Peas | Mar 16 – Apr 6; fall: Jul 25 – Aug 15 |
| Potatoes | Mar 30 – Apr 20 |
| Green beans | May 4 – May 18; fall: Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Garlic | Oct 17 – Nov 14 |
| Tulips | Oct 3 – Nov 14 |