Provo, Utah: planting zone & frost dates
Provo is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 25 and the first fall frost around Oct 16.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 5 | Oct 7 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 25 | Oct 16 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 18 | Oct 21 |
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 PROVO BYU, UT (USC00427064), 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from the city center and 36 ft lower than the city center (-11 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Provo
Provo spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 6b (54%), 7a (46%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Provo
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16). 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 28 – Mar 14 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 23 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Apr 11 – May 2 | Mar 28 – May 9 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 2 – Jun 6 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 2 – May 30 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 2 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Cucumber | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 9 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 4 – May 9 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Onion | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | May 9 – May 23 | May 9 – May 30 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Kale | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – May 2 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Eggplant | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 23 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 21 – May 9 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 4 – May 16 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
Nearby cities in Utah
- Orem — zone 7a, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 13
- Lehi — zone 7a, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 2
- Sandy — zone 7b, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 16
- South Jordan — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- West Jordan — zone 7b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- West Valley City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 25
More: all Utah cities · other zone 6b cities: Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY
Provo gardening questions
When is the last frost in Provo, UT?
Plan around Apr 25. At NOAA's Provo Byu, UT station, 0.3 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 18, and after May 5 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 35 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Provo, UT?
Start seeds indoors Feb 28 – Mar 14 and set transplants outside May 2 – May 16, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 174 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 Provo?
About 185 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 163 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 208 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 7 and a 30% chance by Oct 16. That ranks 5th longest of 11 Utah cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Provo?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 16): transplant broccoli Jul 24 – Aug 7; sow kale Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow lettuce Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow radishes Sep 4 – Oct 2. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Provo's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes, but toward colder: Provo went from zone 7a (2012) to zone 6b (2023). Only about 1% of U.S. ZIP codes moved colder; these changes mostly reflect added weather stations and improved mapping methods rather than a colder climate. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Provo in zone 6b?
No. Zone 6b covers about 54% of the city's land; the rest is in 7a (46%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.