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Santa Fe, New Mexico planting calendar and frost dates

Santa Fe is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. The last spring frost typically comes around May 14 and the first fall frost around October 6, giving about 144 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 7a (parts in 6b)
Typical last frost
May 14
Typical first frost
October 6
Frost-free season
144 days

Frost dates in Santa Fe

Last spring frost

  • April 30Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • May 14Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • May 28Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • September 25Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • October 6Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • October 18Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 144 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around May 3 and returns around October 16.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Santa Fe 2, 5.1 miles SSW of the city center and 241 feet lower. 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 Santa Fe

  1. January

    Start indoors: onions

  2. February

    Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

  3. March

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, tomatoes

  4. April

    Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    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, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

  5. May

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

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

  6. June

    Start indoors: zinnias

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

    Plant for fall: brussels sprouts

  7. July

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

    Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

  8. August

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

  9. September

    Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, spinach, tulips

  10. October

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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Santa Fe

All 4 of Santa Fe's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Santa Fe 2, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 6b in 87501, 87505, and 7a in 87506, 87507.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
875016bSanta Fe 2, 5.1 mi SSWMay 14Oct 6
875056bSanta Fe 2, 5.1 mi SSWMay 14Oct 6
875067aSanta Fe 2, 5.1 mi SSWMay 14Oct 6
875077aSanta Fe 2, 5.1 mi SSWMay 14Oct 6

Planting dates for popular crops in Santa Fe

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesMar 29 to Apr 12May 24 to Jun 7—
Strawberries—Apr 2 to 16—
LettuceMar 19 to Apr 2May 7 to 21Jul 7 to Aug 11
CilantroApr 2 to 16May 14 to 21—
BasilApr 5 to 19May 24 to 31—
Potatoes—Apr 24 to May 1—
Garlic—Apr 2 to 16Oct 6 to 20
OnionsJan 22 to Mar 5Apr 16 to 30—
CucumbersApr 26 to May 10May 24 to Jun 7—
PumpkinsApr 30 to May 14May 28 to Jun 11—
PeppersMar 8 to Apr 5May 24 to Jun 7—
Carrots—Apr 23 to May 14Jul 14 to Aug 4
Sweet Potatoes—Jun 7 to 14—
WatermelonsApr 19 to May 3May 24 to Jun 7—
Sweet Corn—May 14 to 28—
Green Beans—May 24 to Jun 7—
ZucchiniApr 26 to May 10May 24 to Jun 7—
BroccoliFeb 26 to Mar 19Apr 16 to 30Jul 21 to Aug 18
Peas—Apr 2 to 16Jul 14 to 28
SpinachApr 2 to 9May 7 to 21Jul 28 to Sep 1
Sunflowers—May 14 to Jun 4—
ZinniasJun 3 to 10Jul 1 to 15—
Tulips——Aug 25 to Oct 20
Daffodils——Aug 25 to Oct 6
Grass Seed—Apr 2 to 16Aug 25 to Sep 8

Nearby cities

Planting in New MexicoAbout zone 7aPrintable calendar for Santa Fe

Questions

When is the last frost in Santa Fe?

Around May 14 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Santa Fe 2. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 28.

What planting zone is Santa Fe in?

USDA hardiness zone 7a (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 6b. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Santa Fe?

Start seeds indoors March 29 to April 12 and set plants out May 24 to June 7; the safest date to plant out is after May 28.

When is the first frost in Santa Fe?

Around October 6 in a typical year, and before September 25 about 1 year in 10.