Albuquerque, New Mexico: planting zone & frost dates
Albuquerque is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 21 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 16 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 21 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 15 | Oct 27 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station PETROGLYPH NATL MON, NM (USC00296754), 4.3 mi (7.0 km) from the city center and 157 ft higher than the city center (+48 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Albuquerque
Albuquerque spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 16 ZIP codes): 7b (80%), 8a (20%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Albuquerque
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 21, first frost Oct 22). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 28 – May 12 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | May 5 – May 19 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Mar 24 – May 5 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 28 – Jun 2 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 28 – May 26 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 24 – Mar 31 | Apr 28 – May 12 | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 24 – Mar 31 | May 5 – May 12 | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 31 – May 5 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 5 – May 19 | May 5 – May 26 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 7 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | May 5 – May 19 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 17 – May 5 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 31 – May 12 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in New Mexico
- Rio Rancho — zone 7b, last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 28
- Santa Fe — zone 6b, last frost May 20, first frost Oct 1
- Las Cruces — zone 8b, last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 7
More: all New Mexico cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Tulsa, OK, Newark, NJ
Albuquerque gardening questions
When is the last frost in Albuquerque, NM?
Plan around Apr 21. At NOAA's Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM station, 4.3 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 15, and after Apr 30 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 31. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Albuquerque, NM?
Start seeds indoors Feb 24 – Mar 10 and set transplants outside Apr 28 – May 12, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 184 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Albuquerque?
About 193 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 175 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 214 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 16 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 3rd longest of 4 New Mexico cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Albuquerque?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 4. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Albuquerque's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Albuquerque is zone 7b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Albuquerque in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 80% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (20%), measured across the city's 16 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.