Salt Lake City, Utah: planting zone & frost dates
Salt Lake City 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 16 and the first fall frost around Oct 25.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 17 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 8 | Oct 31 |
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 SALT LAKE CITY INTL AP, UT (USW00024127), 2.0 mi (3.2 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 17 ZIP codes): 7b (69%), 6b (30%), 7a (1%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Salt Lake City
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 25). 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 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 23 – May 28 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Cucumber | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 30 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 30 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Onion | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Eggplant | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 30 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 26 – May 7 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
Nearby cities in Utah
- West Valley City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 25
- West Jordan — zone 7b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- Sandy — zone 7b, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 16
- South Jordan — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- Layton — zone 7a, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 13
- Lehi — zone 7a, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 2
More: all Utah cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Salt Lake City gardening questions
When is the last frost in Salt Lake City, UT?
Plan around Apr 16. At NOAA's Salt Lake City Int'l Airport, UT station, 2.0 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 30 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 15. The 90% and 10% dates are 44 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Salt Lake City, UT?
Start seeds indoors Feb 19 – Mar 5 and set transplants outside Apr 23 – May 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 192 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 Salt Lake City?
About 204 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 177 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 229 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 17 and a 30% chance by Oct 25. That ranks 2nd longest of 11 Utah cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Salt Lake City?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 25): transplant broccoli Aug 2 – Aug 16; sow kale Aug 16 – Sep 13; sow lettuce Aug 16 – Sep 13; sow radishes Sep 13 – Oct 11. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Salt Lake City's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 69% of the city's land; the rest is in 6b (30%), 7a (1%), measured across the city's 17 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.