Goodyear, Arizona: planting zone & frost dates
Goodyear is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 29 and the first fall frost around Dec 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 12 | Dec 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 29 | Dec 12 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 14 | Dec 22 |
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 LAVEEN 3 SSE, AZ (USC00024829), 13.9 mi (22.4 km) from the city center and 59 ft lower than the city center (-18 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Goodyear
Goodyear spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 9b (73%), 9a (27%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Goodyear
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 12). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Jan 1 – Feb 12 | Oct 3 – Oct 31 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 12 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Cucumber | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 12 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 6 – Nov 20 | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 18 – Jan 15 | Oct 17 – Nov 14 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Oct 3 – Oct 31 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 18 – Jan 8 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 |
| Eggplant | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | — | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Feb 12 | Oct 31 – Nov 28 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 |
Nearby cities in Arizona
- Avondale — zone 9b, last frost Jan 18, first frost Dec 16
- Buckeye — zone 9b, last frost Jan 18, first frost Dec 16
- Glendale — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Dec 8
- Phoenix — zone 9b, last frost Jan 23, first frost Dec 15
- Maricopa — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 18
- Surprise — zone 9b, last frost Feb 16, first frost Dec 2
More: all Arizona cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Goodyear gardening questions
When is the last frost in Goodyear, AZ?
Plan around Jan 29. At NOAA's Laveen 3 SSE, AZ station, 13.9 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 Jan 14, and after Feb 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 5. Springs here are erratic: 55 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Goodyear, AZ?
Start seeds indoors Dec 4 – Dec 18 and set transplants outside Feb 5 – Feb 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 317 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Goodyear?
About 343 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 310 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 1 and a 30% chance by Dec 12. That ranks 4th longest of 16 Arizona cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Goodyear?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 12): transplant broccoli Sep 19 – Oct 3; sow kale Oct 3 – Oct 31; sow lettuce Oct 3 – Oct 31; sow radishes Oct 31 – Nov 28. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 2. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Goodyear's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Goodyear is zone 9b 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 Goodyear in zone 9b?
No. Zone 9b covers about 73% of the city's land; the rest is in 9a (27%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.