El Paso, Texas planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in El Paso

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for El Paso International Airport, 7.5 miles ENE of the city center and 205 feet higher. 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 El Paso

1. January

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

2. February

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, 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

3. March

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, 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, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

4. April

   Start indoors: zinnias

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

5. May

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

6. July

   Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes

7. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, potatoes, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini

8. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, cucumbers, daylilies, green beans, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini

9. October

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

10. November

    Start indoors: onions

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

11. December

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

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in El Paso

All 11 of El Paso's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from El Paso International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 8b.

Planting dates for popular crops in El Paso

Nearby cities

• Las Cruces, NM zone 8b, last frost Mar 12
• Albuquerque, NM zone 7b, last frost Apr 6
• Rio Rancho, NM zone 7b, last frost Apr 6
• Odessa, TX zone 8b, last frost Mar 18
• Midland, TX zone 8b, last frost Mar 18
• Tucson, AZ zone 9a, last frost Feb 5