Rio Rancho, New Mexico: planting zone & frost dates
Rio Rancho 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 15 and the first fall frost around Oct 28.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 28 | Oct 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 15 | Oct 28 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
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 RIO RANCHO #2, NM (USC00297481), 4.3 mi (6.9 km) from the city center and 213 ft lower than the city center (-65 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Rio Rancho
All 4 ZIP codes covering Rio Rancho are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Rio Rancho
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 15, first frost Oct 28). 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 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 22 – May 27 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 18 – Mar 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Cucumber | Mar 18 – Mar 25 | Apr 29 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 25 – Apr 29 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Onion | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Apr 29 – May 20 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Kale | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Eggplant | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 29 | Sep 16 – Oct 14 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 25 – May 6 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
Nearby cities in New Mexico
- Albuquerque — zone 7b, last frost Apr 21, first frost Oct 22
- 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, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Rio Rancho gardening questions
When is the last frost in Rio Rancho, NM?
Plan around Apr 15. At NOAA's Rio Rancho #2, 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 8, and after Apr 28 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 20. 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 Rio Rancho, NM?
Start seeds indoors Feb 18 – Mar 4 and set transplants outside Apr 22 – May 6, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 196 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 Rio Rancho?
About 203 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 184 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 222 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 20 and a 30% chance by Oct 28. That ranks 2nd longest of 4 New Mexico cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Rio Rancho?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 28): transplant broccoli Aug 5 – Aug 19; sow kale Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow lettuce Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow radishes Sep 16 – Oct 14. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 9. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Rio Rancho's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Rio Rancho 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.
How does Rio Rancho compare with Albuquerque, NM?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Rio Rancho (Apr 15) comes about 6 days earlier than in Albuquerque, NM (Apr 21), 13 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 28 versus Oct 22. Rio Rancho sits about 541 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.