Tucson, Arizona planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Tucson

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tucson International Airport, 6.5 miles SSW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Tucson

1. January

   Start indoors: basil, celery, cilantro, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers

2. February

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, avocados, beets, carrots, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme

3. March

   Start indoors: cosmos, okra, zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

4. April

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

5. May

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

6. August

   Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes

7. September

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini

8. October

   Start indoors: onions

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

9. November

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

   Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips

10. December

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kentucky bluegrass, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, sweet peas, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Tucson

All 11 of Tucson's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Tucson International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 9a in 85641, 85730, 85747, 85756, and 9b in 85705, 85706, 85710, 85711, 85713, 85719, 85745.

Planting dates for popular crops in Tucson

Nearby cities

• Marana, AZ zone 9b, last frost Feb 23
• Casa Grande, AZ zone 9a, last frost Feb 5
• Queen Creek, AZ zone 9b, last frost Feb 1
• Maricopa, AZ zone 9a, last frost Feb 23
• Gilbert, AZ zone 9b
• Chandler, AZ zone 9b