Las Cruces, New Mexico: planting zone & frost dates
Las Cruces is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 20 and the first fall frost around Nov 7.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 2 | Oct 30 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 20 | Nov 7 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 12 | Nov 13 |
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 STATE UNIV, NM (USC00298535), 3.5 mi (5.7 km) from the city center and 13 ft lower than the city center (-4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Las Cruces
Las Cruces spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 5 ZIP codes): 8b (68%), 8a (16%), 7b (16%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Las Cruces
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 7). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 27 – May 1 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Cucumber | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Onion | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Sep 12 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Eggplant | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | — | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 13 – Apr 3 | Sep 26 – Oct 24 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
Nearby cities in New Mexico
- Albuquerque — zone 7b, last frost Apr 21, first frost Oct 22
- Rio Rancho — zone 7b, last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 28
- Santa Fe — zone 6b, last frost May 20, first frost Oct 1
More: all New Mexico cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Las Cruces gardening questions
When is the last frost in Las Cruces, NM?
Plan around Mar 20. At NOAA's State Univ., NM station, 3.5 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 Mar 12, and after Apr 2 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 26. The 90% and 10% dates are 38 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Las Cruces, NM?
Start seeds indoors Jan 23 – Feb 6 and set transplants outside Mar 27 – Apr 10, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 232 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 Las Cruces?
About 241 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 216 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 262 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 30 and a 30% chance by Nov 7. That is the longest of the 4 New Mexico cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Las Cruces?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 7): transplant broccoli Aug 15 – Aug 29; sow kale Aug 29 – Sep 26; sow lettuce Aug 29 – Sep 26; sow radishes Sep 26 – Oct 24. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Las Cruces's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Las Cruces was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Las Cruces in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 68% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (16%), 7b (16%), measured across the city's 5 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.