Frost dates for Las Cruces, New Mexico
In Las Cruces, half of springs have had their last frost by March 12 (and 1 spring in 10 still has one after April 2), and half of falls have had their first frost by November 13, leaving about 241 frost-free days in a typical year. Here is how sure those dates are, what they mean for planting, and where they come from.
Frost dates for
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Last spring frost
March 12
Half of springs have their last frost by this date. For a safer bet, wait until April 2: only 1 spring in 10 has a frost after that.
First fall frost
November 13
Half of falls have their first frost by this date. In 1 fall in 10 it comes by October 30.
Growing season
241 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 216.
Hardiness zone
8b
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 15°F to 20°F. On the 2012 map it was 8a, half a zone colder. All 5 ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center are in zone 8b.
Print a year planner for Las Cruces
Frost risk through the year
How sure are these dates?
A frost date is a probability, not a promise. NOAA worked out, from 30 years of nightly lows, how often the last spring frost and the first fall frost fall on each date. The middle column is the typical year. The outer columns are the early and late years that come about once a decade.
| Early year 1 in 10 | Typical year 1 in 2 | Late year 1 in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last frost in spring | February 23 | March 12 | April 2 |
| First frost in fall | October 30 | November 13 | November 24 |
The frost-free season between them runs 241 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 it is 262 days or longer, and in 1 year in 10 it is 216 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): typically last on February 26 and first on November 24. It is a harder freeze than the 32°F frost line, cold enough to damage many garden plants; how hardy a crop is decides whether it comes through. (The National Weather Service's own hard-freeze threshold varies from office to office.)
- Frost possible (36°F at the station): typically last on April 1 and first on November 4. On clear, still nights the ground can be several degrees colder than the thermometer, so frost can form on plants when the official reading is in the mid-30s.
In 8 springs out of 10, the last frost in Las Cruces comes between February 23 and April 2, a window of 38 days. That is wider than at most NOAA stations (the typical window is 31 days), so spring here is less predictable than average: lean toward the later date.
Among New Mexico's 175 NOAA stations with a frost every year, 99 percent have their typical last frost later than Las Cruces does.
Planting calendar for Las Cruces
These dates count from the typical last and first frosts, using the planting rules published by Colorado State University Extension (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension (fall crops) and University of Minnesota Extension (garlic, where winters are hard). Weather in any one year can run early or late, so check the forecast before you plant tender crops.
| When | What to do | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| January 8 to February 5 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| January 22 to February 12 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| January 29 to February 12 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| February | ||
| February 5 to 19 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| February 12 to 26 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| February 12 to 26 | Broccoli and cabbage Plant out, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| February 26 to March 12 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| February 26 to March 12 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March | ||
| March 12 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| March 26 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| March 26 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| June | ||
| June 18 to July 2 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by August 6 |
| July | ||
| July 8 to 22 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by August 26 |
| August | ||
| August 17 | Snap beans for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 21 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 22 | Cucumbers for fall Last date to sow | 55 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 26 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 27 | Summer squash for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 31 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September | ||
| September 10 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 20 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 30 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October | ||
| October 30 | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers Watch the forecast from | in 1 fall in 10 the first frost comes by this date; pick tender crops before a frost |
| December | ||
| December 1 to 8 | Garlic Plant cloves | one or two weeks after the typical first hard freeze (28°F), our reading of the first killing frost |
| December 25 to January 22 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
Want more insurance? Shift every spring date 21 days later. That plans around April 2, the date after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost.
For spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, plant once the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F and keep going until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes. Our guide to fall planting explains how to tell.
Where these numbers come from
These dates come from NOAA's weather station State Univ (station USC00298535), 4 miles from the center of Las Cruces. It sits at about the same elevation, 3,890 feet above sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as representative: at least 10 of the 30 years, with the gaps filled from nearby stations.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 11 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 88001, 88002, 88003, 88004, 88005, 88007, 88011, 88044, 88046, 88047, 88048. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
Nearby places
- El Paso, Texas: last frost around March 2, first frost around November 20 (40 miles away)
See frost dates across New Mexico, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.